Fascination
by scifiromance
Summary: This is the story of Chakotay and Seven's relationship before, during and after "Endgame." My first Voyager story. If you don't like C7 then don't read it.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: First chapter of a hopefully multi chapter story. This chapter is set is the last scenes of "Human Error".**

Seven strode purposely through the halls, ever faster than usual, her thoughts on recent events. A familiar voice which she simultaneously feared and longed to hear broke through her reverie.

"Where's the fire?" said Chakotay, to her sounding unnaturally cheerful.

"Fire?" she stated with sharp bemusement. She was not in the mood for analysing strange human sayings that particular day.

Chakotay couldn't help from smiling slightly, but decided not to patronise her by dissecting the phrase, instead changing the wording.

"What's the hurry?"

"I must complete my report into the weapons array." Just let me go please she thought silently, increasing her pace even more.

Chakotay almost had to break into jog to keep ahead of her. "Come on, you saved the ship I think you deserve a break. I'm going to Neelix's cooking lesson in the mess hall, "Talaxian tenderloin in ten minutes." Why don't you join me? It'll be fun."

At that moment Seven couldn't think of something she'd find less enjoyable and said in the coldest and most dismissive tone she could muster "I am no longer interested in cooking."

She always had to make being nice to her such hard work thought Chakotay, barely suppressing an irritated sigh but persevering nonetheless. "Then come for the company. B'Ellana is coming, even Tuvok promised to make an appearance." He said in attempt to convince her.

It failed. "I'd rather not. Perhaps another time?"

Chakotay felt anger and an emotion he only subconsciously acknowledged as hurt course through him and he made a spur of the moment accusatory rebuke. "You know, you might want to socialise with the crew a little more, it might do you some good."

Seven felt herself flinch as if he'd slapped her and hurriedly tried to hide it as he turned away from her in anger. She fixed her eyes on his disappearing back and felt self hatred and grief flood her as she thought about how easily his words had pierced her carefully formed defences. As she turned back the way she had come to avoid him, she mentally cursed Unimatrix Zero for creating this emptiness in her and her own misjudgement at trying to fill it.

Chakotay tried to suppress his guilt as he walked away, he felt like he had kicked a wounded animal. He had seen an expression of pure unadulterated pain in her eyes when he had rebuked her, if only for a matter of seconds as she hid it from him almost immediately and the look worried him. Could there really be that much turmoil beneath the surface in such a reserved woman? He impulsively glanced back to look at her but saw only her back disappearing through the door. It occurred to him that she had been going the other way when he'd met her, was she running away? Regret and guilt gnawed at him but he pushed it back. Throughout that night's cooking class much as he tried to ignore it, the guilt stayed with him and the expression on her face was to haunt him for days to come.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: I'm so happy about the reviews! I was so worried I would get bad reviews, but I'm more confident now. Here's a new chapter as a reward inspired by "Natural Law".**

Seven stood in the briefing room beside the Captain, awaiting her fate as the senior officers, excluding Lieutenant Paris who was already on a mission, filed into the room. Was it really necessary for the Captain to order someone to accompany her to the warp mechanics conference on Ledosia? She knew it was against ship rules to go alone on an off world mission, but she had realised in recent months that no one liked be "assigned" to her as the Captain so patronisingly phrased it.

Chakotay couldn't help but notice Seven's slightly defeated posture as he entered the room, he had always without truly acknowledging it to himself liked to watch the subtle changes in her demeanour, how she reacted to events, but unsettlingly he had noticed her become more withdrawn than ever in recent weeks. Unbidden the image of her face when he had rebuked her weeks ago entered his mind but he ignored it.

The Captain broke the silence. "Now, I've called you here to inform you that Seven has been asked to attend a four day warp mechanics conference on Ledosia, so I've decided to give all the crew some shore leave, but someone needs to accompany Seven, any volunteers?"

God Kathryn, you really know how to make someone feel popular thought Chakotay sarcastically, as he looked round at the reluctant faces. Something Seven had said years before occurred to him. "The Captain ordered me to volunteer." How right she was.

Seven feel her shoulders fall slightly as she looked around. Understandably no one wished to give up their shore leave to spend four days with her. Deciding to voice her concerns she spoke up. "Captain I do not wish to disrupt anyone's plans.."

The Captain interrupted her with an irritated hand movement and said "None of them have any plans Seven."

She's making it sound like a punishment, thought Chakotay somewhat angrily. If Seven's withdrawn it's the Captain's fault, I would be too if I was being patronised and condescended upon like that. This train of thought led him to an impulsive decision. "I'll take her!" he announced suddenly and louder than he'd expected.

To say that Seven was stunned was an understatement and she had to work her hardest to hide her shock. Exhilaration which she immediately suppressed and anxiety which she actively encouraged came over her.

"Good." Said the Captain in a self satisfied tone. Everyone else excepting Chakotay, Seven and the Captain hurriedly retreated in relief at having escaped, throwing Chakotay shocked looks as they left.

Fighting the urge to flee, Seven approached Chakotay unable to look him full in the face as she struggled to maintain her composure. "Commander I require two hours to prepare. Is that sufficient for you?"

"Yes." Said Chakotay the implications of what he had volunteered to do beginning to sink in. Seven nodded silently in reply, turned sharply on her heel and left, leaving himself and the Captain alone.

"That was very chivalrous of you Chakotay." Said the Captain with a slight smirk on her face.

He decided not to deem that remark with a reply. Obviously it wasn't only Seven the Captain liked to patronise, but he had known that for years hadn't he? He expressed his frustration by staring daggers into her back as she departed.

An hour and a half later Seven was sitting in sickbay being examined before she left.

"So…."said the Doctor, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer, "..you're going with Commander Chakotay?"

"Yes." Stated Seven, she had been expecting an interrogation of this sort.

"Did you ask him?" said the Doctor gleefully, unable to resist pressing for more.

"No!" she snapped beginning to lose her temper. When she saw his expression she knew an explanation would be required, even though she didn't think he deserved one. Through gritted teeth she said "I did not_ ask _him."

"Your anxiety is perfectly understandable Seven." He said in a gentler, more fatherly tone. He let a sigh escape his lips. "It would be a lot easier for you if you let me operate on your cortical node."

Instantly bristling at this blatant jab, she icily retorted "_I_ will decide what is easier for _me_. Are you finished? The Commander expects to leave at 1300 hours."

"Does he now?" said the Doctor taking an unseemly pleasure at her discomfiture. Maybe this will get her to finally stop being so stubborn! He thought. "All done."

Seven jumped off the biobed and made eagerly towards the door.

"Be careful!" The Doctor shouted after her. As the doors closed he muttered "In more ways than one."

Chakotay stood at the doors to Shuttle Bay 2 with a canvas bag at his feet waiting for Seven to arrive and trying to still his nervously churning stomach. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous, it wasn't as if she was still a drone. That's precisely why you're nervous, said a little voice in his head, because she's not a drone. _Quiet_, he said to the voice as she hurriedly rounded the corner.

"You're early." She said.

"Not really, I was only waiting a couple of minutes."

An uneasy silence settled on them and neither moved. Seven decided to break it.

"Commander, I wish to..thank you for agreeing to come with me. I know this is disrupting your shore leave."

"Don't worry about it Seven. I plan to make the most of my leave, it's supposed to be a beautiful world."

Once again a break in the flow of conversation paralysed both of them.

"Shall we go?" he asked her somewhat uneasily.

"Yes."

The tension wouldn't leave them alone as they stepped into the shuttle. It's going to be a long four days, they both thought simultaneously.

**3 days later**

Seven stood back in the familiarity of Cargo Bay 2, trying to stifle her emotions with work, but thoughts of what would happen if the Ventu were no longer protected by the barrier ate at her. She glanced up at the sound of the doors opening to see the Commander enter and approach her.

"That's a beautiful blanket." He commented gesturing towards the blanket folded on top of a nearby container.

Looking down, she replied quietly "You can have it if you'd like, I have no use for it."

He stepped closer, sensing something behind the words. "If the environmental systems ever go down, you might get cold." He murmured gently.

She nodded silently in assent, but he saw a shimmering in her blue eyes which twisted something inside him.

"There's something else bothering you?" he said it more as a statement than a question.

She swallowed hard before shakily replying. "It's the Ventu. I am afraid for their wellbeing."

"They can look after themselves." He said, unsure of where this was going.

"That's not what I mean." She said in a hollow tone. "The Ledosian expedition had time to study my deflector modifications. In time they may learn how to remove the barrier themselves."

He met her gaze, unable to deny her point but wanting to for her sake. "It's possible."

"If I had never made those modifications…"

Chakotay took her arm determined to stop the obvious waves of guilt emanating from her. "We would still be stuck there." He finished her sentence forcefully. "I don't know about you but I'm glad to be back on Voyager."

He watched as resignation replaced guilt on her features. "As am I." she replied softly.

He fought the sudden urge to hug her, he had never felt so honoured by someone confiding in him.

He let her be, leaving immediately after and she began to allow herself to take true comfort from his words as her hand unconsciously settled on the blanket.

Chakotay had only left her minutes before when a snap decision made him stop in his tracks and turn around.

Seven was surprised when he entered again, she could think of no logical reason for him to return. He came up to her again with a question.

"Seven, when the last time you had something to eat?" What was that supposed to mean?

"Several hours ago." She couldn't help but add a question of her own. "Why?"

"Come to the mess hall with me."

"I'm sure you have many friends who would like to spend time with you after your absence Commander."

"I'm not asking them, I'm asking you."

"If that is what you want Commander."

"Yes, it is what I want and you can call me Chakotay when we're off duty."

"As you wish."

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

**A/n: To be continued, of course. Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

Why did I agree to this? I know it comes from some strange form of pity, it means nothing, so why torment myself by going with him? These thoughts passed through Seven's head as she walked to the mess hall with Chakotay. As she glanced at his white tense face, she couldn't help from wondering if he had been somehow been coerced into this by the Doctor in some twisted plan to get her to consent to the operation on her cortical node. Impossible, there's no way the Doctor would do such a cruel thing to her. Irritated by her own confused thoughts, Seven decided to concentrate on how to get the meal ahead of her over with as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

Seven had completely misread the meaning of Chakotay's expression; truly it meant he was sick with nerves. What had come over him to ask a woman he had known but barely interacted with for four years on a date? Wait. Who said this was a date? You just did, said another voice in his head. How could one away mission change everything he had known about himself in a matter of hours? If you really want to be her friend, his mind wouldn't let him go any further than friend, then don't call this a date because you know she doesn't cope well with forming relationships. To reassure himself that she was still there, he allowed himself to look at her, seeing that her eyes were fixed straight ahead of her, her face appearing calmly composed.

That all changed when they reached the doors of the mess hall. They both tried to step through the doorway at the same time, making their shoulders and arms touch. Seven felt herself begin to blush furiously at the physical contact, but they were both too stunned to move any further into the room, resulting in them blocking the doorway. Chakotay, totally transfixed by the blushing face before him, lost his voice for several seconds, before finally managing to stammer out "L..ladies..f..fir..st."

Seven, her head nearly disappearing into her shoulders, stepped into the room on auto pilot. Chakotay followed while mentally berating himself. I haven't stammered since I was in high school! Ladies first! How much more corny can I get? Get control of yourself!

"Chakotay! Seven!" boomed Neelix, if he was aware of their acute embarrassment he showed no sign of it. "Well don't just stand there! Come in! I have a new recipe, just made, Ledosian Bakla root pie! A closed minded people, but can they ever make a pie! You didn't happen to get any good recipes while you were down there did you?"

"No, nothing of great interest." Seven forced out, Neelix's cheery banter giving her enough time to recover the power of speech.

"Would you mind sitting together? It's very busy tonight."

"I think we'd actually prefer that, Neelix." Said Chakotay, glancing at Seven, who voicelessly nodded assent, much to his relief, even though he had asked here precisely for that purpose.

"Ok, then! Let's get you settled." Neelix said happily, leading them to the only empty table in the packed hall, thankfully in a quieter corner.

As they sat down across from each other, the awkward silence they were becoming accustomed to began to creep in again, only to be broken by Neelix. "Are you sure I can't interest you in that pie?"

"No! No, thank you Neelix, we'll choose our own." Said Chakotay, barely able to keep his voice level. As Neelix turned away from them, it occurred to him that it was very rude to turn something down on someone's behalf without even asking them.

"You didn't actually want that pie did you?" he asked, peering anxiously into her face.

Maybe it was his anxious tone, or the way he was looking at her, but by the time she knew what she was doing Seven had laughed. It wasn't an overly loud or strange laugh; other than it came from Seven, who even herself couldn't remember doing it before. The crewmembers on the surrounding tables turned to stare at her, making her feel immediately insecure and blush slightly, wondering if she had broken _another _unspoken rule of human etiquette. Her embarrassment mysteriously dissipated though when she realised that Chakotay was beaming from ear to ear at her and she slowly returned the smile, albeit unconsciously.

Totally thrown off by the laugh he had somehow managed to draw from her and the soft smile he had received in return for his mad grin, it took Chakotay several minutes, long after the curious crewmembers had turned away, to come up with anything else to say and when he did it was standard fare. "So…what would you like to eat?"

She couldn't think of anything despite her extensive knowledge of culinary matters and could only come up with her typical response. "I…I'm sure that whatever you choose will fulfil my nutritional requirements." She cringed inwardly as soon as the words were out of her mouth, could she have said _anything_ else which made her sound more like a drone? He however seemed to ignore her mistake and rose to go to replicator.

Chakotay was in such a happy cloud as he gazed at her that he naturally interpreted her words as "Whatever you want." He was standing by the replicator before his senses returned enough to make him worry that he didn't know what she liked and his appetite was gone. Just pick something! Something plain! His mind raced, unable to think of anything. Mercifully his memory kicked in just in time to save him from embarrassment. Pasta! I saw her eat pasta with Naomi once! "Penne Arrabiata! Two portions." He ordered the replicator, incapable of keeping the relief out of his voice completely. As the plates materialised he remembered drinks. He ordered water, taking a swig from his in an attempt to calm his nerves.

Seven was still as stone in her chair, continuing to mull over her bad performance, when Chakotay returned to the table with pasta and water. Relief washed over her. Something she might be able to force herself to eat despite her twisting stomach.

They began to eat, the only sound, the sound of them swallowing food. Desperate to break the barrier which had formed between them, Chakotay grasped around for a neutral topic. Finally, "How's Icheb?"

"Fine." Chakotay couldn't stop his face from falling in disappointment at the one word response and upon seeing this Seven realised he wanted a more full fledged answer than that and remembered something she had been wanting to ask him. "Command…Chakotay" remembering just in time to use his given name. "May I make a request of you?"

"Anything." Said Chakotay, not fully comprehending that the answer was so open ended it could lead to complications.

Taken aback by the ease of his answer, she nonetheless decided to keep going. "As you are aware, Icheb is trying to apply to Starfleet Academy to train as a cadet. He is very gifted, but his attempts at memorising history can lead to somewhat" she paused searched for the right words "longwinded essays. I am severely under qualified in this area and I would appreciate your assistance."

"You want me to tutor him? Seven, I'd be honoured but I'm sure there's someone better qualified than me on this ship…"

"No, I assure you there is not." Said Seven with calm confidence, her back straightening as it always did when she stated a certainty.

Flattered by her confidence in him, he easily agreed. "Well, if you think so I'd be happy to teach him."

Although her happiness revealed itself instantly in her face, already making his agreement worth it for him, she still tried to reassure him as to its worth. "He is very hard working, but he can also be challenging."

"I like a challenge." Chakotay responded with an undeniable twinkle in his eye. Her cheeks flushed slightly and Chakotay realised too late the flirtatious suggestiveness in his comment.

A conversation began starting at Icheb's curriculum gradually developed into an in depth discussion about history which after the Ventu Seven had a developing interest in and which Chakotay fuelled. By the time they had finished the main meal and moved onto dessert, strawberry ice cream chosen by Seven at Chakotay's insistence, they were deep in a satisfying conversation about each other's interests and hobbies in which they found to their surprise many commonalities. During a break in the rapid flow of conversation, Seven broached a new topic. "Is Earth a scenic planet?"

"Oh yes, parts of it are stunning. Why do you ask?" Chakotay was intrigued; she hadn't shown much interest in natural beauty while they were trapped with the Ventu.

Seven looked sheepish, a new expression for her, she herself realised the self contradiction in her question. "You described Ledosia as beautiful and I realised while we were separated that you were correct. I wish to know how you would describe Earth's natural wonders."

Chakotay smiled at her. "There are so many, but by far the best I've sent was a sunset in Arizona…"

Seven interrupted him with a far away look on her face, finishing his description "over the Grand Canyon with light penetrating to the bottom, the sky a sea of colour and the ground reflecting it."

Chakotay stared at her in surprise, for that was exactly how he would have described his memory. Seven turned the deepest shade of red and tried to leave, but he seized her hand to stop her. "What happened? Explain it to me, I won't judge."

"I know." She murmured her eyes fixed on their interlocked hands. "It was a memory. Your memory." She stated simply. She glanced up at him and swallowed before continuing. "My mind is full of memories which are not my own. They belong to the Collective…the drones that form it. I remember them everyday and will for the rest of my life. Your memories are particularly…vivid because we were linked intensely for a period of time, separate from the others. You…have my sincerest of apologies for the breech of privacy. I will try not to recall them again."

Chakotay held her hand tightly in his own. "Seven…you can't help it, I know that. I don't consider it a breech of privacy, as you put it, I have some of yours, its only fair that you have some of mine."

"You…you have my memories?" Seven echoed in mortification. "I'm sorry! It must be highly unpleasant for you to have the memories of a drone…"

"Not a drone. Just you." Her head lowered again and she seemed ready to cry and shivered as Chakotay squeezed her hand.

Just then Tom Paris strode up to their table, making both of them sit up and let go of the other's hand as if an electric shock had gone through them. Tom noticed but went against his personality by not commenting after he saw the looks on their faces and began with what he had come over to the table to say. "Do either of you want to put on a bet?"

"On what?" said Chakotay irritably.

"Have you both been in a bubble for the last hour? I've been putting going round the tables getting bets on when B'Elanna's going to deliver."

Embarrassed by the fact that neither of them had been playing any attention to what had been going on around them, there was as pause before Seven adopted her trademark haughty look and said "Don't you think by gambling on your child's imminent arrival you might be putting undue pressure on your wife Lieutenant?"

Chakotay couldn't stop himself from laughing at that and Tom responded with a smirk. "Well you won't be winning anything then, Seven." He glanced at the still chortling Chakotay "and I suppose you agree with her?" Chakotay nodded through his laughter and Tom flung him and amused yet quizzical look as he observed the pair of them which Chakotay saw but pointedly ignored. As Tom left he couldn't stop from smiling. There's some unexpected new wood for the Voyager rumour mill, he thought wryly. B'Elanna's not going to believe me!

Back in the mess hall, Seven was starting to worry she had said something inappropriate, so she asked Chakotay "Was I offensive towards the Lieutenant?"

"No! I think B'Elanna would give you a pat on the back on the back for that one! What time is it Seven?"

"2300 hours." It was just then that they realised they had been there for more than four hours.

He waked her back to Cargo Bay 2 half an hour later and as she regenerated and he slept they each dreamt peacefully about the other.

**A/n: I just want to thank you for the supportive reviews, this is only my second ever attempt at fanfiction and my first attempt at a Star Trek story. I never thought I'd like writing as much as reading but I've found that I do, hence the reason for the fast updates. The next chapter will be up by Saturday at the latest! **


	4. Chapter 4

A soft click sounded in Seven's ear as the regeneration cycle finished and she shook her head absentmindedly as she stepped of the alcove in attempt to shift the lingering images of her dream from her mind. Previously she had only ever had dreams in times of great physical and mental distress but ever since her evening with Chakotay twelve days before, they had been occurring every night without fail. She racked her brain as to why but could only give the unsatisfactory answer that they were caused by her own emotional disturbance rather than any external factors. The last twelve days had been full of upheaval and stress for the whole crew, Neelix had left them and the Captain had been kidnapped, held hostage and saved by the Doctor, an environment not conductive of romantic relations to be fair but the fact that Chakotay had done nothing further hurt her and cemented her belief that he considered their evening at best a counselling session and at worst an unrepeatable mistake.

Chakotay jerked awake and sat bolt upright in bed, coated in sweat and breathing hard. "Computer, time." He asked the computer.

"0700 hours." Said the computer's staid female voice.

Damn, he thought to himself as he sank back down. He had only gone to bed at four that morning after completing an eighteen hour shift to compensate for the fact that Kathryn was on medical leave after her rescue. He couldn't get by on just three hours of sleep. Even as he thought this he knew it was pointless to try to rest again, his mind was too preoccupied with Seven to possibly give into exhaustion. He jumped in a cold shower in an attempt to refresh before ordering a coffee from his replicator, the Captain's beverage of choice was not normally to his taste but nothing about his current feelings was normal and he needed the caffeine to sustain him for the long day ahead. As he sat down he allowed himself to ponder his feelings for Seven while fully awake for the first time in days. They were romantic to the brink of passionate in nature; his heart could no longer deny that and it wasn't that that made him uneasy but her reaction. He had been touched by her ability to confide in him and treasured that above all else. He feared going too far, losing all he had gained, if he presented her with these new feelings. Are you going to let fear going to hold you back from what you want forever? Keep avoiding her so you don't need to face it? He mentally asked himself. Before he could answer those burning questions his comm badge beeped insistently. "Yes?" he asked, sounding slightly agitated.

Ensign Kim's voice responded. "Commander, I'm sorry to wake you" I was already awake and it wasn't because of you, thought Chakotay wryly. "but there's a Halkan ship requesting aid and the Doctor said not to disturb the Captain…"

"It's okay Harry, I'm on my way." Personal dilemmas will have to wait.

Seven strode through the halls once again, distracted from thoughts on her personal life by another busy day, sorting out technological aid for the disease ridden Halkans. As she turned the corner to go to Astrometrics, she saw an upset looking Naomi Wildman. "Naomi Wildman, are you all right?"

"Yes…but" she paused, her lower lip wobbling, "the Halkan children look so ill."

"And?" probed Seven as gently as she could, she could see there was something else behind her young friend's distress.

Naomi looked up at her with shining eyes. "I…miss Neelix."

Seven looked down at the little girl feeling the need to soothe her, she more than anyone knew the debilitating effect that loneliness could have, considered what could be done. "If you come to the holodeck at 1900 hours I will give you a piano lesson." Seven was nothing if not a believer in the idea that pain could be lessened by activity.

"Really?" said Naomi, hopeful and pleased, her interest piqued.

"Certainly. Naomi, I know how difficult it is to adapt to a change in circumstances, but it will become less arduous in time."

Comforted by Seven's uniquely phrased but sincere words, Naomi hugged her impulsively. Though surprised Seven returned the gesture with affection.

As Naomi let go of her she asked somewhat mischievously, "The Doctor won't come to our lesson will he?"

Seven gave a small smile; the Doctor's pompous self superiority when it came to music was such that even she could not tolerate him for long. "No."

"1900 hours, then" said Naomi her happy smile returning to her. When Seven nodded her head in confirmation, she beamed and bounced off down the hall called back a quick "See you later" as she went.

Feeling better now that she had something pleasing to fill her dreaded off hours, Seven returned to work.

A drained and exasperated Chakotay passed through those same halls that evening, glad to be finally free of that days duties, an extremely distressing visit from the Halkans and trying to placate a bored Captain. He halted outside Astrometrics, he had been drawn to it even though he had no business there, a new determination to clarify where he and Seven stood filling him and before he could talk himself out of it he entered purposefully, only to find Icheb alone.

As Icheb whirled round to face him, his back as straight as ramrod, he said "How can I assist you Commander?" If Chakotay had been less agitated he would have smiled as the phrase and posture were so reminiscent of Seven, but as it was he just got straight to the point." Where's Seven?"

"I have relieved her Commander, What is it that you require?"

"I don't require anything; I just need to speak to her."

Although confused and intrigued by the change of manner in the normally calm and controlled Commander, Icheb gave a comprehensive answer as was his nature. "She when off duty at 1842 hours to prepare for Naomi Wildman's piano lesson at 1900 hours."

She's teaching Naomi to play piano? Great, I can talk to her before she starts.

Icheb was going to ask the Commander a complex question relating to their history lessons, but he didn't get a chance as Chakotay left hurriedly with a distracted thanks.

Having arranged the holodeck to her specifications with ten minutes to spare, Seven now stood unoccupied. Deciding to practice before her pupil arrived; she cast aside her past favourite, Chopin, too filled with memories of her previous simulations to be tolerable and in an unconscious reflection on her present mood chose Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. As she sat down her gaze found the metronome and she guiltily set it aside, emotions concerning Chakotay, both real and holographic bubbling to the surface before being promptly forced from her mind. Although she was totally unaware of it, these emotions found their outlet as she began to play and she was thus unaware when Chakotay himself entered.

When he entered Chakotay had intended to make himself known, but the music silenced and transfixed him as soon as it caressed his ear, his rational mind going completely blank. He was dimly aware of the fact that she didn't know he was watching her yet he couldn't tear himself away from such an outpouring of emotion he hadn't thought she was capable of. Beautiful though it was, the music had a melancholy undertone that saddened him deeply.

Seven felt an instant relief as soon as she had finished for it had given her the emotional release she needed. It wasn't until she turned around that she saw the cause before her and reeled in shock, blushing and turning deathly pale by turns. It wasn't until their eyes met that the spell broke and Chakotay realised he had committed the worse intrusion of privacy possible and involuntarily stepped back in embarrassment and mortification. Seven was more shaken by the expression she had caught on his face before it turned to fear and embarrassment, one she couldn't identify but anyone else would have been able to tell her was one of admiration bordering on adoration.

They looked at each other in paralysed fear, before the timely entrance of Naomi freed them somewhat. Chakotay tried to leave as unobtrusively as possible but Naomi cut him off with "Stay and listen, Commander _please_, Seven's so good."

Cornered, Chakotay tried once more to get out of it. "Yes I know…but I wouldn't want to disrupt your lesson…"

"You wouldn't be! Would he Seven?" said Naomi sweetly, turning to her teacher.

Her head low, Seven could only mumble "No…no, of course not."

Her triumphant smile made the thought that Naomi knew or sensed something was going on flash through both Seven and Chakotay's mind, but they immediately gave into her gentle manipulation feeling something they would only later acknowledge as gratitude.

The lesson itself was outwardly uneventful, despite two of the participants being in the full storm of inner turmoil and just as they thought it was ending Naomi came up with another idea. "Seven, let's play kadiskot, Commander if you play too then Icheb can come. Please, it'll be fun."

Neither of them could think of something they wanted less but they also inexplicably didn't want to part so both of them agreed. "Great! I'll go and get Icheb and my lucky kadiskot board."

Seven, willing to interact with but not to be alone with Chakotay interrupted "I will summon him, and create holographic boards."

"It'll only take a minute." Said Naomi, flashing them an impish smile.

As the doors closed behind her an awkward silence settled on them, Seven unable to bear it any longer and true to her decisive nature spoke up "Commander…"

"Yes?"

She stepped back, her nerve wavering, but when she saw her own emotions reflected in his expression her resolve returned. "Forgive my probable misunderstanding of your intentions, but do we share…emotions of an intimate nature."

Chakotay had to stop him himself from breathing an audible sigh of relief at the elephant in the room being spoken of, but felt a large twinge of guilt when he looked at the pale and trembling young woman before him, that she had been braver than he. "Yes…I'd like to think that we do, on my side to be certain…"

"Really?"

"Why are you so surprised? I mean, I've never been on a four hour first date before!"

"Is this our second date?"

"I'd like that."

"Do you think Naomi will stop…encouraging us now?"

Chakotay laughed out loud at that remark, making Seven think what a pleasant sound it was. "Yes, I think we're finally past that stage."

"It was a great deal more complicated than in the Doctor's social lessons." Admitted Seven.

Chakotay smiled and they came closer, the despised awkwardness banished by their joint admission. Just then, Naomi and Icheb entered carrying two boards and their one on one was at an end although when Seven went back to the piano Chakotay followed her, placing his hand over her cybernetic one, and with a glance over at the good naturedly bickering Icheb and Naomi, leaned over to whisper in her ear "The third date, we'll do alone."

Seven, embarrassed and exhilarated by the sensation of his breath on her face, allowed herself to grip his fingers slightly before turning to him. "I concur." She said with a new confidence and a bright smile.

**A/n: Sorry I'm a day late! I had a bit of writers block and I'm still not overly pleased with this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

Seven cast an irritated eye over the pile of data pads strewn about the cargo bay, two hours of research and still she had no idea what to propose for her and Chakotay's third date. Her own lack of efficiency astounded her. Although the nerves had diminished somewhat, her eagerness to please had increased, to the point where her normal decisiveness had deserted her. Nothing suggested in her research had seemed right, nothing she could pull off with perfection. Her active brainstorming temporally ceased when her comm. badge signal broke the still air. It was Icheb, "Seven, Neelix has come through the Astrometrics comm. system for your daily kadiskot game. Do you want me to tell him you're busy?"

"No, I will be there imminently." Seven said as coolly as possible, considering she had completely forgotten in her preoccupation with her personal life.

She hurriedly entered Astrometrics and sat down in front of the large screen showing Neelix's smiling face, a kadiskot board set out for her by a helpful Icheb who now addressed her "Seven, may I attend my history lesson with the Commander now?"

"Yes, go ahead."

After several minutes of concentrated play in which in spite of looking distracted, Seven was beating Neelix resoundingly, Neelix spoke up. "So Seven, what's happening in your life today? You're not normally late."

Seven debated within herself whether to give her usual noncommittal response or to seek advice from him. She had after all known him for years and had confidence in his knowledge; it wasn't as if she could ask the Doctor. She decided on the latter course of action. "Actually, my personal life is…developing somewhat…"

Neelix interrupted her. "With a certain first officer."

Seven's blush confirmed his suspicions. "How did you know?"

"Seven! I've been around long enough to know when there's a budding romance afoot. I was in the mess hall that night, you know, and Naomi and Icheb are very observant youngsters." He smiled as he remembered Naomi's exuberant report to him.

Seven couldn't help but reveal a sheepish smile as she responded "Yes they certainly are. May I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"What in your opinion is a suitable activity for a third date?"

Neelix was thankfully successful in hiding his astonishment. "Well, I always liked picnics, informal yet intimate."

"A picnic…" said Seven, mulling it over in what Neelix perceived as a dreamy tone.

Just then a shout from Neelix's end broke their privacy and Neelix, genuinely disappointed that he couldn't delve deeper, said "I'm sorry, Seven. I have to go, we'll talk tomorrow?"

"1600 hours as per usual."

"Ok, good luck!"

As he was disconnected, Seven thought over his idea. A picnic sounded achievable.

Chakotay entered Astrometrics, visiting Seven under the pretence of accompanying Icheb back. Icheb, of course saw through this and tactfully allowed the excuse, even though he didn't see the need for it.

Mercifully his nerves were gone, but it was still a nervous thrill to see her, although he immediately observed her apprehensive demeanour with concern.

The reason for Seven's apprehension soon became clear as she made him a proposal. "Chakotay, please come to Cargo Bay 2 at 1300 hours tomorrow and don't eat a meal beforehand."

Her bravery was instantly rewarded with the most heart warming smile she had ever seen. "Of course I will…"

Their conversation was interrupted by Chakotay being called to Engineering by B'Elanna. He uttered frustrated sigh before reassuring an anxious looking Seven by touching her arm and speaking in a confidential soft whisper "I look forward to it" before leaving her with a smile.

When he had gone, Icheb turned to Seven with a "Well done." In response she shot him a look which told him without words to return to work.

The next day, Seven was kneeling on the floor of the cargo bay attempting to smooth out her Ventu blanket on the floor before sitting on it. She cast a critical eye over the basket of food and as yet unlit candles, she wasn't sure why the food had to be in a basket but according to her research it was traditional. Just as she was leaning over to light the candles, the doors opened with a swish.

Chakotay had been trying to keep his excitement hidden from the crew all day but he had a feeling he was failing when he saw the Captain raise her eyebrows at him when he told her he already had lunch plans. His exit from her ready room was so rapid it made the bridge crew wonder what was wrong with him, but he was blind to their stares. In his haste, he was at the cargo bay doors before he remembered that he had nothing to give her, not even flowers. Seems like I'll need to start reading Seven's social guides he thought wryly. She looked up at him as he entered and their eyes met. God, she's so beautiful and she doesn't even realise it. What he saw before him dragged him from his contemplative thoughts and back into reality, a meticulously laid out and delicious looking meal with candles and wine glasses. If she was trying to create a romantic ambiance she had certainly been successful.

"What's all this?"

"A picnic." Seven had picked up on his astounded tone and lost her confidence, "If this makes you uncomfortable, I can prepare a less elaborate meal."

Feeling guilty that his pleased amazement had been misinterpreted, Chakotay immediately responded. "Don't change a thing." He lowered himself down onto the blanket to look her directly in the face. "It's perfection."

Seven gave him a grateful smile which warmed his heart, feeling the tension drain away from her as quickly as it had come.

**A/n: Short chapter for me I know, but I just felt it came to natural end here considering what I have next. Don't worry as soon as I publish this, I'll start typing the next bit.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chakotay was in an exceptionally good mood as he made his now daily pilgrimage to Astrometrics the morning after his third date with Seven. He hoped the incident with Borg the night before hadn't upset her, despite Harry's protestations about the viability of the wormhole cluster as a way back to the Alpha Quadrant he was deeply relieved that they were leaving it behind them. Just because he was falling in love with a Borg didn't mean he wanted to become one. Wait. Where did that come from? Feeling a wide grin spread across his face, he knew there was no point in denying it anymore. Well, it's polite to ask the woman you're in love with on a date rather than waiting until she asks you, he thought pragmatically as he entered Astrometrics.

Seven stood at her console with one half of her mind on her work and the other half indulging in daydreams about her date the day before. It's a good thing I'm accustomed to multi tasking she thought with such contentment that the thought was without the usual hint of self reproach.

She knew it was him who had entered the before he said anything, having unconsciously learned how to identify his footsteps, she spoke up first. "If you're here for my daily report, it's not yet complete." She allowed humour to seep into her tone, knowing he would register it.

It worked. She heard him give a small laugh. "Actually, I'm here in an unofficial capacity." He came to her side, leaning on the console. "I was wondering if you'd like to get together again."

"To do what?" she asked, turning her face towards him.

It was a softer version of her normal deadpan tone; Chakotay saw the teasing glint in her eye and was encouraged. "That depends on your research. Would a quiet dinner for two in my quarters be an appropriate fourth date?"

"I think that would be a more appropriate fifth date." She could hear her own laughter in her tone. Obviously I have a previously unknown capacity for flirtatious conversation, she thought both pleased and surprised at herself.

He leaned in closer until their faces almost met; feeling sorely tempted to kiss her in response, but satisfied himself with another flirtatious innuendo laden comment. "I'm willing to skip ahead if you are."

Seven just smiled and gazed at him for a moment before responding. "2100 hours?"

He beamed then, giving her hand an affectionate squeeze. "See you then."

When he had gone, Seven let out a breath she hadn't been aware of holding, feeling intoxicated. I'll _definitely _need to get that operation.

It was with this thought in mind that Seven went to her weekly maintenance check with the Doctor that afternoon. She was just building up the courage to speak when the Doctor, having noticed her apprehension, asked her if something was wrong.

"Do you remember three months ago when my cortical node shut down?"

"How could I forget? Why? Has it been giving you trouble again?"

"No, but I have reconsidered your offer to extract the failsafe device." She was unable to stop the fear creeping into her voice as she added "You said it would require several operations?"

"Actually, in expectation of your _change of heart _I took the liberty of researching the matter further and I now believe I can rewire it in a single operation."

"How soon can you do it?"

"Today, if you'd like."

"My shift ends at 1800 hours."

"It's a date!" said the Doctor enthusiastically, not noticing Seven flinching at the phrase, her thoughts already on Chakotay. He paused before continuing thoughtfully, "Speaking of dates, you'll now be able to pursue more intimate relationships."

"I am aware of that." She stated stiffly. I am already _in_ an intimate relationship.

"Yes, well, if you feel you need help with that aspect of your humanity, I'm always at your disposal."

Ignoring the patronising tone she was so accustomed to, Seven decided to be polite to her teacher and friend; he always did feel a desire to be needed. "I appreciate that…"

"Really?" the Doctor broke in, excited.

Although confused by his tone Seven kept going. "Yes, but I already have all the _help_ in need."

Accepting his rejection with good grace, the Doctor tried to keep the conversation going. "Ah, I assume you'll be resuming your simulations with the Chakotay hologram."

Angered by his presumption, yet embarrassed by the fact that it was relatively close to the truth, Seven replied uneasily "No…actually" before cutting off this discomforting line of questioning with a quick "I'll see you at 1800 hours" before retreating from Sickbay as rapidly as possible.

By the time Seven managed to leave Sickbay that night after the obligatory two hours of observation following her operation and evaded a curious Doctor's questions it was 2050 hours. She realised she didn't have time to chose truly appropriate attire and decided to remain as she was, checking her reflection on the console in Cargo Bay 2. I really should get a mirror, she thought absentmindedly as she arranged the flowers hastily gathered from Aeroponics. A cargo bay does not require a mirror said the voice of the Collective in her head. Ignoring this voice of doubt, Seven now made for the door, before a horrifying thought crossed her mind. He may not like me coming to his quarters like this, it's indiscreet. The crew may notice. Resolving to use the transporter, even though it was frowned upon by the Captain for her to hack into the controls, she went to her wall console and dialled in the coordinates, the last thing she was aware of the buzz of the transporter.

Chakotay paced anxiously around his quarters, his mind racing. Don't push too hard, for God's sake, let her actions determine mine, it'll take as long as it takes, go slow, don't scare her off. To distract himself he began to set the table before glancing up when he heard the familiar buzz of a transporter, only to see Seven standing before him, holding a bunch of flowers.

Registering his surprise, Seven spoke first "Am I early?"

Recovering from his shock, Chakotay replied "No, you're right on time." He couldn't resist asking her somewhat incredulously, "Something wrong with the door?"

Seven repeated her own thought process from minutes before. "I thought it would be indiscreet to be seen taking flowers to the First Officer's quarters."

Chakotay couldn't deny the logic behind that. He looked at the flowers; he didn't have the heart to tell her that it was the man who brought the woman flowers not the other way around. It was a thoughtful and considerate gesture and he didn't want any awkwardness between them tonight. "I'll put these in water."

As he turned away from her, an idea occurred to her which she impulsively acted on without thinking. She took hold of his arm and pulled him into a kiss, which rapidly became more prolonged and passionate than she originally anticipated as Chakotay responded more than in kind.

Seven pulled back first, if only to read his reaction, which was a silent, intense and penetrating gaze. She felt a blush come to her face and felt a desperate need to explain her impulsive action. "I…I have been told…that anticipation of the first kiss can lead to tension. I was trying to…alleviate that tension."

Chakotay, his lips burning and his mind pleasantly reeling nonetheless tried to ease her panic. "That was very considerate of you" he said gently. "What about the second kiss?" Even though he knew he was pushing his luck he also knew he wanted to kiss her again as soon as possible.

Seven was thrown off by the question; whatever she was expecting him to say it wasn't that. "I…don't know…I can check the database…"

Observing her flustered yet endearing reply, Chakotay thought Oh, to hell with going slow, cutting her off midsentence with a kiss, wrapping his arm round her back to tighten the embrace. Seven immediately relaxed into his arms, allowing this kiss to go even deeper than their first. The insistent beep of their comm. badges pierced the air but they ignored it. The Captain's voice filled the room, "Senior officers, report to the bridge." It was only then that they stopped for air, though their faces remained tantalisingly close. Chakotay voiced their joint thought when he said huskily "Next time we turn off the comm. system." Seven smiled and nodded silently, before releasing her grip on his uniform and stepping out into the hall. As he followed close behind Chakotay thought "This better be good Kathryn, I've never wanted to be a senior officer less."

**A/n: So what do you think? How well did I interpret it? Don't worry I'll update soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

Seven entered the cargo bay, ready to give into her exhaustion after a day of fitting the Admiral's armour to the ship. When she thought of the Admiral she gave an involuntary shudder, the whole situation disturbed her, and it gave her what the humans would describe as a bad feeling.

Attempting to shake it off, she walked to her alcove. "Computer, begin regeneration cycle." She was only in a peaceful silence for a matter of seconds before a voice she recognised instantly broke roughly into her mind.

"Seven of Nine tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One, it's been too long."

"What do you want?" Seven somehow managed to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Do I need a reason to visit a friend?"

"We are _not_ friends."

"No. We're more than that, we're family." The Queen noticed Seven's wince and sneered triumphantly. "Now, while we're on the subject of old friends, I see Voyager has a visitor. From the future. Tell me why."

"You may be able to communicate with me while I am regenerating, but I am no longer a drone. I _don't_ answer to you."

The Queen seethed at that and changed tact. She but her hand up to Seven's face who shuddered in disgust. "You've always been my favourite _Seven"_ she purposely used that idiotic human diminutive to distress her captive. "In spite of their obvious imperfections, I know how much you care for the Voyager crew, so I've left them alone, until now."

Seven couldn't halt the panic seeping into her voice. "Voyager is no threat to the Collective! We only wish to return to the Alpha Quadrant!"

"I have no objection to that, but if you enter my nebula again I will _destroy _you." At that instant the Queen sent a shock through Seven's body which threw her from her alcove and left her unconscious on the floor of the cargo bay, the computer blaring above her "Regeneration cycle is incomplete."

Some time later Chakotay was in command of the bridge when a harassed looking Captain entered. He rose from his chair and asked "What's wrong?"

Concentrating on the console in front of her, the Captain said "The Borg Queen communicated with Seven and injured her." If the Captain had been looking at Chakotay she would have seen the colour drain from his face, feeling as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. In a loud and agitated tone only Tom and Tuvok picked up on, he responded "Where is she?"

"Oh, in Astrometrics. The Doctor treated her, it was minor." Not noticing that her First Officer looked sick with worry, she went on. "The Admiral says she has tactics which can defeat the Borg, we'll keep going, I've taken precautions, don't worry." Not worrying was the last thing on Chakotay's mind as he left for Astrometrics, without even passing on command.

He felt relief wash over him as he entered Astrometrics to see Seven working quietly as usual. "I heard what happened. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Seven replied in a reassuring, affectionate tone.

"Because if you need a break, I am in charge of the duty roster."

"It would be inappropriate to allow our…personal relationship to interfere with your command decisions."

"You're right, it's a time to keep things professional." He said teasingly. "Report!"

Seven smiled and shook her head slightly but kept the joke going. "The scans show there is no Borg activity over ten light years."

"That's good news…Crewman."

"Yes, _sir."_ Seven let her jovial tone drop into seriousness with her next statement. "The Borg continues to pose a threat."

Chakotay, seeing her reveal anxiety to him, tried to reassure her. "The Admiral seems to think we'll get past them."

"The Captain seems less certain." Seven realised she sounded distrustful of the Admiral.

"Listen, our chances would be good with one Kathryn Janeway on the bridge but with two I'd put a bet on us." I may disagree with the Captain on many things but I know she has a single minded desire to get us home. The Admiral almost too much, said another voice in his head. The same thought may have been passing through Seven's head because she didn't look too comforted. Changing the subject completely he asked "If we do get back to Earth, what are you going to do?"

Seven looked at him in surprise, but she didn't want to admit that she tried not to think about it. "Well, I assume Starfleet will want to debrief me…and then I suppose I'll try and find a useful position somewhere." She felt curiosity rise in her and held his gaze. "You?"

"I don't know yet either." He admitted, stepping closer. "But I know wherever I end up; it'll be within transporter of you."

It was an amazing and unknown comfort for Seven to know with certainty that she wouldn't be abandoned. "Then perhaps it won't be a terrible adjustment." She murmured, hooking her arm round his neck and kissing him tenderly.

When they parted, too soon in Chakotay's opinion, he said gently with a glint in his eye. "That was highly unprofessional of you, Crewman."

Seven met his gaze through her eyelashes. "Are you going to discipline me Commander?"

"Now I didn't say that." He said laughingly, pulling her against him for a more passionate kiss.

In another decidedly less pleasant meeting that day for Seven, she was cornered in the Cargo Bay with the Admiral, her mind spinning after what she had just been told. Trying valiantly to compose herself, she stated as stoically as she could "I…appreciate your candour Admiral, but the Captain is my commanding officer, I won't disobey her."

"I'm not asking you to. I'm simply asking you to inform her that in your opinion this scheme is much too risky and ineffective."

"Now that I know these things, nothing is certain, but even if they were" she paused, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I would still destroy the trans warp hub."

"Seven, I've known you a long time, longer than you've known yourself, so I know this is just your way of atoning for the Borg atrocities you participated in and I'm telling you it's time to let go of that and think of your own future!"

"How can I think of my own future when millions are losing theirs to the Borg?"

"You're being selfish!"

"Selfish? How can you call saving millions of others selfish?"

"Millions of strangers! What about your colleagues, your friends, people who _love _you!"

How can she say that to me! That I don't love him! She was struck as the blade of grief stabbed her heart how similar the methods of the Borg Queen and the Admiral were. They corner you when you least expect it and use emotional blackmail to get the result that they want! "Excuse me, Admiral, I have work to complete." She stated stonily. As soon as she was out of range of her she fled blindly to Astrometrics, images of assimilation and screams of victims ringing in her ears. "Computer, lock the doors!" she cried feeling a sob escape her throat as she leaned on the console and sank into the foetal position on the floor. She knew the Captain would not change her mind and shouldn't. She also knew that what would happen to Chakotay if they continued along this timeline was unacceptable. A vision of him as a drone hit her and thus could not longer sustain the mental wall blocking her memories and fears. Aching for relief, her shredded defences gave in and she let herself cry.

**A/n: Sad chapter I know but it had to be done! Please forgive me and review. I'll continue soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

Seven stood expressionless at her Astrometrics console, having finally managed to pull herself from the position on the floor where she had laid sobbing as her heart broke further with every fresh thought, she had numbly attended every one of the Captain's subsequent meetings, remaining mute, not revealing her inner turmoil. By now her emotions had withdrawn inside her and the only exterior sign of the wound her soul had suffered were her dull red rimmed eyes and shaking hands as she ran the scans following the Admiral's shuttle which would seal her fate. His voice, normally a soothing balm to any mental scars, now stabbed her internally as it entered her ears. "Any word from the Admiral?"

Seven gripped the edge of her console until her knuckles turned white before forcing herself to reply. "We lost contact as soon as she entered the hub."

"Did the Borg give her any trouble?"

"The vessel was scanned by several vessels but none approached her, sir." Self hatred began its malignant flow in her veins again as soon as she voiced that one formal word.

Chakotay in an attempt to get his former responses, said in a playful yet gentle tone which hit her hard "Are we being professional again today?"

"Yes, Commander."

Her tone was so lifeless and abnormal that it concerned him. This isn't funny. "You're not joking are you?"

"No." Seven responded, moving to another console and fixing her gaze on it to avoid him.

Fear was beginning to replace concern. "What's wrong?" He followed her steps until he was once again beside her, but she still wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Nothing. I'm just…" she tried to think of an excuse that would explain this behaviour but couldn't. "…busy."

"I think I've gotten to know you a little better than that!" he snapped, reaching to grasp her arm to make her look at him. She flinched at his touch as if it burned her.

"I'd…prefer it if you didn't address me as if we were on intimate terms." She tried to ignore his hurt and disbelieving gaze.

"We _are_ on intimate terms!" Chakotay almost growled at her in disbelief.

"Not anymore!" Seven managed to gasp out, her voice rising as she began to lose control of her feelings.

"What the hell is going on?" Confusion and disbelief was rapidly turning to anger.

"I've decided to alter the parameters of our relationship."

That wasn't very enlightening. "You mind telling me _why_?"

Seven paused, her emotions paralysing her mouth for a moment. "We both have dangerous occupations, it's possible one of us could be seriously injured or…_worse_. It's better not to form emotional attachments."

That was a cop out if he'd ever heard one. Passionate anger flared within, he was going to get the _real _reason. "Maybe you can just flip some Borg switch and shut down your emotions, but I can't!"

Seven felt her legs weaken below her, if any remark could have reduced her to tears it was that one. I did have a switch and I removed it for you! Her anguished heart wailed. "I suggest that you try. I will make things less difficult, _for you_, if any harm should come to me."

She was repeating that again. What does she mean? Maybe it wasn't such a cop out after all. These thoughts culminated in his next question. "Why are you suddenly so concerned about that?"

Seven fought back a sob, resulting in her leaning heavily on the console with a strained sigh. You shouldn't tell him, said the rational voice in her head, but the look he was giving her, his eyes boring into her, made her ignore it. "The Admiral suggested…that your feelings for me will cause you pain…in the future." She turned away from him, "I cannot allow that to happen!" she cried on the brink of hysteria, a strangled sob escaping from her throat.

Understanding dawned on him, one look at her grief stricken face told him all he needed to know. He grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him, tightening his grip when she tried to back away. "Seven, all relationships involve risk. No one can guarantee what's going to happen tomorrow, not even an Admiral from the future!" He looked directly into her face, clasping her hands in his. "The only certainty is how we feel about each other right now and if you think I'm going to let you go based on what might happen, then you need to get to know me a little better!" He pulled her against him and she sagged into him with a shuddering sigh.

Seven now felt her legs give way beneath her completely and her body begin to shake uncontrollably as it gave into shock. Chakotay had to strengthen his grip on her until he was basically holding her up. She gave into her feelings for him entirely now and buried her head in his shoulder, before trying to explain her actions. "When…the Admiral told me…it hurt so much. She said I was being selfish by putting the destruction of the hub and the alleviation of my guilt as a drone over your grief when I died, I…was trying to spare you that…"

"Look at me." When she did, with gleaming eyes and tear stained cheeks, he continued. "You are the least selfish person I've ever met, ever likely to meet, so don't beat yourself up over _dying_ for God's sake." He looked at her lovingly, every sob she uttered wrenching his heart. Just then the Captain called them to the Bridge using the comm. system. "Interrupted again." He said with a sad smile, lifting her hands to his lips and kissing them.

Seven returned the smile through her tears, a new thought had just occurred to her. "You always stop me doing the wrong thing."

Chakotay looked at her, intrigued. "Like what?"

"When you stopped me from assimilating Voyager and freed me from the Collective."

"I've never thought of it like that, sweetheart." Another comm. signal stopped him from going any further. "We'd better go, before they get anymore impatient."

Seven nodded in agreement, wiping her eyes hastily, before glancing at his uniform. "I have damaged your uniform."

Chakotay glanced down to where her tears had soaked through. "It doesn't matter. Come with me?"

"Of course."

**A/n: Well what do you think? I maybe went a bit too much to the soppy side, but once I started I couldn't stop. Please review! I'll update soon!**


	9. Chapter 9

Seven stood at her console on the bridge, one eye on the planet looming before her on the screen and one eye on Chakotay's back as he piloted the ship having replacing Tom who had gone to see his new daughter. Harry Kim's voice brought her back to being aware of her surroundings. "So Seven, when do you think we'll enter orbit?"

He could have figured that out for himself but she made allowances for his obvious elation. "When our current position is taken into account, we will enter orbit at approximately 0930 hours tomorrow morning."

"I can't wait!"

Seven smiled at him. "You have been waiting seven years; twelve more hours shouldn't make much of a difference."

"Yeah you're right of course, it seems that our seventh year was our lucky one, wasn't it…Seven?"

"I concur."

Chakotay approached them, putting his arm round Seven's waist. "Hey Harry, can I have her now?"

Harry raised his eyebrows and as realisation kicked in he almost laughed, Tom had won the bet. "Yeah sure, you were the one that waited a few years in the end weren't you?" referring back to the time when he himself had tried to romance Seven with awkward results and Chakotay had told him to wait a few years.

"It was worth it."

Seven couldn't decipher the latter stages of their conversation, so she turned to Chakotay. "You got someone to relieve you at the comm.?" She was somewhat surprised that any member of the crew was willing to work.

"Yeah, I told Crewman Okuda I would forget to put that incident with the Alterran actress on record if he relieved me until morning. We never had that dinner in my quarters; do you want to try again?"

"That would be acceptable."

As they were walking down the corridor to his quarters, they came upon Naomi Wildman. "Seven! Commander! They're throwing a party in the mess hall, why don't you come?"

Chakotay and Seven exchanged glances, before Seven replied "Perhaps another time."

"There won't be another time!"

"She's right Seven, you should go. We won't be in this situation again." They all turned around to see that it was the Captain standing behind them. "I need to speak to the Commander in my ready room anyway."

Seven saw from her expression that this was not a suggestion and acquiesced with a nod of her head. Chakotay felt irked, but let go of Seven's waist with a murmured "See you later." The Captain turned on her heel with no more ceremony and he followed her reluctantly, with unease in his heart.

Naomi turned to Seven, "Were you and the Commander on a date?"

Seven couldn't deny that and Naomi knew it. She uttered a squeal and flung herself at Seven for a hug. "I knew it! I'm sorry I interrupted you."

"Do not over excite yourself Naomi Wildman, and it's fine, we would have been interrupted either way." She glanced at where Chakotay and the Captain had gone, the Captain knew as well if not better than Naomi, she was sure of that.

"While you wait for him to come back, go to the party with me."

While Seven and Naomi made their way to the mess hall, Chakotay entered the Captain's ready room where she had already made herself comfortable. "What's this about Captain?"

"You know what it's about, your _relationship _with Seven."

Chakotay had been expecting that on some level, but it was still a blow to hear something which made him so happy, so passionate in way nothing had before, spoken of in such a negative aggressive tone. "What about it?"

"_Everything._ You're back on Earth now; do you really think you'll stick with the novelty act?"

Chakotay was gobsmacked, "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh come on Chakokay, she'll have to adapt to living on Earth and I don't think you'll stay the distance with _her_. As soon as you get back to Earth you'll lose interest as always."

"I know what I'm getting into and so does she, who are you to say what we do?"

"She's a child! You're a forty eight year old man and she's barely _twenty eight_ with the emotional maturity of a teenager! You'll hurt her and I'll have to deal with it!"

"I would never purposely hurt Seven! Your future self did that already with her manipulation!"

"If the Admiral hadn't told me that this farce was successful in her timeline, I wouldn't be allowing this at all!"

"Allow it! Kathryn you've never had the right to _allow_ anything to do with our personal lives, not Seven's and certainly not mine!" With that he turned on his heel and left, leaving the Captain seething and dissatisfied.

Seven looked at him in surprise when he came in the mess hall, his face set in a tense frown. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later."

She read his anxious agitated face and couldn't leave it like that. "Come on." She said taking his wrist gently and leading him into the hallway, where he sagged against the wall. "Do we need to a have a private conversation?" she asked frankly.

"Yes, we'll go to my quarters."

When they entered he immediately sank into the nearest chair, Seven stood in front of him where she absentmindedly stroked his face with her hand to soothe him. "What happened?" she asked quietly after he had relaxed slightly.

"The Admiral told her."

"I assumed as much."

"She didn't take it well."

"What did she say?"

"Nothing worth repeating."

"The abridged version?"

"She made some comments about our age gap…and other things."

"Why are our ages relevant?" Seven was genuinely surprised for this had never occurred to her.

Chakotay could see this from her face. "Well in human society, twenty years is considered an…unusually large age gap for a couple."

"I don't see why. As long as I find you attractive and you find me attractive…" she said the part referring to her attractiveness with less confidence, which made Chakotay hug her hard.

"Why do you think I stare at you all the time?"

"Then it truly is irrelevant."

"Yes it is." He said, kissing her.

Seven eventually pulled back, running her fingers through his hair. "The other things she said…it is perhaps better to forget about, you will hear much worse things about me."

"You're asking me to forgive her?"

"It will be easier in the long term; she will get over her issues quicker if we are magnanimous towards her."

He nodded in agreement and noticed several minutes later when she began to seem uneasy. "What's wrong?"

"May I tell you something which may further explain my behaviour in Astrometrics earlier?"

"You can tell me anything."

Seven paused, unsure where to begin or whether she was doing the right thing by telling him. "Do you remember when you mentioned me having a Borg switch for my emotions?"

Chakotay tensed in guilt and held her tighter. "Oh Seven, I didn't mean that, I was upset and angry…"

"I know. I did not bring it up to chastise you, only to say that until quite recently" she sighed, preparing herself for his reaction, "I did have such a switch as you call it."

"What? How it that possible?" he cried in mortified shock.

"Let me explain. Do you remember my involvement with Unimatrix Zero?"

"Yes." He stated.

"During that time I experienced some emotions I had not known previously, when it was over I felt an emptiness, loneliness I think you would call it, so in an attempt to alleviate this I began to run…simulations on the holodeck.

Chakotay tried to hide the fact that he was shell-shocked by this and tried to recollect himself. "That's why holodecks were invented I suppose."

"Yes well, during these simulations I became ill and the Doctor had to help as I required…resuscitation…" She could tell him she had been arguing with a holographic version of him at the time, but decided she was allowed to keep that to herself.

"Resuscitation! Why did you need that?" said Chakotay, his voice full of fear.

"The Doctor discovered that I had a failsafe device in my cortical node which would deactivate me when I reached a certain level of…emotional stimulation."

"Wait a minute! The Borg put something in you which would kill you if you got too emotional?" When she nodded in confirmation, he felt sick. The Borg were even more barbaric and ruthless than he'd thought. Maybe the Queen put that in her alone just to be sadistic. "The Doctor could remove it right?"

"Yes he could but…"

"But! Seven you're not telling me…"

"I didn't remove it then; I knew of its existence but did nothing for three months."

"Why in God's name did you do that?" he cried out loudly in exasperation.

Abashed, Seven looked at her feet. "I felt so guilty. My personal life was distracting me, interfering with my work, endangering the crew…"

"And?"

"I was afraid of what I would be able to feel without it." She stated heavily, close to tears. Maybe she shouldn't have started this.

"You don't still have it do you?"

"No. I got it removed before our forth date."

"What? We went on three dates and you could have died at any one of them? That was dangerous!" He said, holding her forcefully.

"Yes, it was unwise."

"That's an understatement. How could you take that risk?"

"I wanted to. I…wasn't afraid when it came to you, because I…am in love with you."

Chakotay looked at her, spying a tear running from her human eye and embraced her. "You understand?" she choked.

"Yes, of course I understand and I love you more than you'll ever know but…" he took her face in his hands, "that doesn't mean I'm not angry with you for doing something so life threatening, ok?"

"That sounds reasonable." Seven murmured, looking into his eyes.

"Good." He whispered, beginning to kiss her passionately and uncontrollably.

They moved to the bed, still kissing and Seven sat on its edge. Chakotay's senses came back to him and he pulled back, holding her shoulders. Seven saw the silent question in his eyes and answered by kissing him again and wrapping her arms round his neck, letting him go above her.

"Computer, lights." Chakotay muttered breathlessly.

**A/n: And I think you can guess what happened next. Sorry if anyone is offended but this is rated T and I'll probably never go any further than that in this story anyway. A note on how I arrived at their ages, "Endgame" said Chakotay was born in 2329 which would make him 48 in 2377 and Seven was supposedly assimilated when she was six and was a drone for 18 years with four on Voyager which would make her 28. (Dark Frontier said she was four which would make her only 26 but I decided to ignore that.) Anyway, please review and I'll write more soon. **


	10. Chapter 10

Chakotay lay gazing at Seven who was sound asleep with her head on his chest, her loose hair tickling his face. He traced the metal running up her cybernetic hand and arm with his fingers, until he saw her eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks and froze. Don't wake up please! Stay peaceful and serene like you are right now!

Seven blinked blearily awake, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. This wasn't the cargo bay. Memories hit her and a blush immediately diffused her cheeks as she tried to sit upright.

"Hey, don't panic, it's alright. Good morning." Said Chakotay softly, reaching for her in reassurance.

"Good…morning." Seven stammered awkwardly. This was a new situation for her. "Did I damage you…" she blushed deeper, "by lying on you like that?"

"No." He put his arm round her shoulders again. "No, my love. Iwas very comfortable."

Pleased and flattered by his response, Seven allowed herself to once again relax into his hold and when he lay back again, settled once more on his chest where she could make out the soothing rhythm of his heart beneath her ear. After several minutes of contented silence, Seven spoke again. "Well, I suppose I know now why Lieutenants Torres and Paris are always late for their duty shifts."

Chakotay chuckled. "I'm going to tell them you said that."

"You'll do no such thing!" said Seven in mortification, just then realising the inappropriateness of her comment.

Chakotay just laughed harder and gave her a kiss. "If you say so, but it was still funny."

"Wait! Its 0945 hours! The ship will be in Earth's orbit by now; I have lapsed in my duties…" She scrambled up and began to get out of bed.

"Hang on! Just stay here a little longer."

Seven flung him a surprised look over her shoulder. "Don't you want to see Earth?"

"I've waited seven years; I can wait another half hour."

Seven gave a resigned sigh. "I still have work to complete."

"I think you've earned some leeway. I am the First Officer after all."

"That's a good point." She replied, climbing back into bed and kissing him.

"I thought you didn't want our relationship to interfere with my duties." He wrapped his arms round her back as he said this.

"That was then. This is now." He laughed and pulled her back onto him, where they began to kiss again, when a comm. badge went off.

"Doctor to Seven of Nine."

Chakotay gave a groan as she reached for the badge. "Just ignore it."

"He will persist." She said picking it up. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Seven where are you? The Starfleet engineering delegation is looking for you and I want to do your medical check before you start with them."

"_Damn_" muttered Chakotay.

Seven choked back a girlish giggle and put a finger to her lips. "I'll be there imminently."

"Good." The signal cut off.

Chakotay began to get dressed too. "So much for that extra half an hour."

"So it would seem."

Seven finished dressing and walked towards the wall, intending to transport herself out, but Chakotay piped up. "Don't even think about it. We're _both _using the door."

"There is no need to bring attention to ourselves…"

"I don't really care." He stood in front of her, giving her an intent look. "There's something else?"

Seven bit her lip, she was caught out. "The Doctor will be able to tell…"

"It's none of his business."

"He'll make it his business. He won't approve any more than the Captain…"

Chakotay cupped her chin in his hand. "Everyone will have to find out eventually."

"I know but I don't want it to negatively affect the crew's view of you."

"Why would it?" He kissed her neck, and whispered in her ear, "Every man on this ship's going to be jealous."

"I doubt that." She stepped back. "I'll see you later?"

"Definitely."

They parted with a tender kiss on the lips, Seven went to face the Doctor and Chakotay went towards the bridge.

As Seven walked through the halls she noticed strangers in Starfleet uniforms roaming around freely, giving her strange looks as they passed. Uneasily she pressed herself tighter against the wall; I hope Earth won't be any worse than this. It was with relief that she entered Sickbay to find the Doctor, B'Elanna and baby Miral.

"Seven there you are! Come and sit." Said the Doctor, picking up his tricorder.

Seven obediently sat on the edge of the biobed and addressed B'Elanna. "How well are you recovering Lieutenant?"

B'Elanna with the baby in her arms, smiled in response. "As well as can be expected, thank you Seven."

The three of them talked of the baby and Earth for several minutes before the Doctor stopped midway through Seven's scan and said abruptly "Seven, I suggest replicating different clothing for Earth, your biosuits might be considered unusual."

Seven coloured slightly at his tone, she knew what the scan had told him and that he wasn't pleased. B'Elanna misinterpreted the situation and feeling irritated on Seven's behalf spoke to her. "Well you might be a little uncomfortable in San Francisco, it'll be warm since its June."

Seven, glad not to be confronted by the Doctor, replied "Yes, I've read that California has a relatively warm climate, what type of clothing would you suggest?"

Taken aback, but willing to be helpful to the clueless young woman, B'Elanna said "Well, a skirt and blouse or a dress I suppose."

"You can go now Seven." The Doctor stated in a chilly tone.

Seven nodded but cautiously approached baby Miral, looking at her in awe for several seconds which B'Elanna didn't fail to take a mental note of. "You have done very well Lieutenant." She murmured.

"Thank you…" B'Elanna was stopped from going any further by her bleeping comm. badge. "Yes?"

"Lieutenant can you please come to Engineering to explain some of these unorthodox adaptations?"

"I'm coming." Said B'Elanna in an exasperated tone, putting down the baby in her arms.

"I will inform them to come to you Lieutenant."

"Would you Seven? Thanks."

"You also helped me." Seven replied saying a quick goodbye to the Doctor before she left.

When she was gone, B'Elanna couldn't stop herself from saying "Doctor, do you have to be so patronising with Seven? That time she was being quite polite and conversational."

"Just stay out of it Lieutenant." Said the Doctor coldly.

Seven spent the next half hour trying on dresses, and was just picking out matching shoes when Chakotay entered. He stared at her in silent shock for so long that Seven began to feel self conscious.

"Is it inappropriate?"

"No! It's very appropriate." He stammered, trying to stop his mouth hanging open. She was wearing a pale grey knee length sleeveless shift dress which fitted her perfectly, with her hair down, just as he liked it.

Seven still feeling horribly self conscious, reached for her hair clasps. "Why don't you just leave it down?" suggested Chakotay gently.

"As you wish." She replied, playing anxiously with the hem of her dress.

"Hey" said Chakotay going up to her and taking her wrist. "You look perfect, I wouldn't say that if it was otherwise."

There was the sound of a throat clearing behind them. It was the Doctor. "Am I interrupting something?"

"As a matter of fact…" Chakotay started but failed to get any further as Seven received a call.

"Seven of Nine, report to Astrometrics."

Seven glanced at them both, the Doctor relieved her by saying "Go on Seven."

Seven paused for a moment, until Chakotay squeezed the hand he was still holding in silent permission, then she left with her head bowed.

When they were alone, Chakotay decided to break the ice. "You wanted to talk about something Doctor?"

"You taking advantage of her and you hardly know anything about what she's been through!"

Chakotay knew this was protectiveness and fought to stay calm. "I know about the failsafe."

The Doctor choked in surprise. "She _told_ you that?"

"Yes."

"Then I have underestimated the depth of her feelings…if you _ever_ hurt her I'll…"

"I'd never!" Chakotay was getting annoyed at how frequently people accused him of that. "Doctor I know you care for her deeply…"

"Yes I do, but she's never realised and its better that way." His voice softened. "I'm not blind. Seven's only ever had eyes for you. I have her trust but you have her love."

"I hope so, she certainly has mine."

"That's all I can wish for. Good luck to you both."

"Tell her that, she's worried about your reaction."

"I will, thank you Commander." With that the Doctor left and Chakotay's adrenaline rushed from him, leaving him leaning heavily on the wall.

Well at least he handled it better than the Captain.

**A/n: Please review because I'm not sure about this chapter at all! I like the beginning but I wasn't sure how to handle the Doctor's reaction. I don't really dislike the Doctor that much even though the Doctor/Seven pairing always made my skin crawl (a paternal rather than romantic relationship to my mind!) so I wanted to kill that off while not making him seem too evil. I know I'm making Chakotay handle it all but Seven will have plenty of confrontations when she gets to Earth! I'll update soon. I hope you still want to read.**


	11. Chapter 11

Seven walked to Astrometrics, trying to put the incident with the Doctor out of her mind. As she entered she found herself surrounded by Starfleet security officers who held their stony detached expressions in place even as Harry Kim shouted at them. "Look, I can tell you that there's no Borg technology in here that you need to worry about! I helped Seven build it myself!"

A lieutenant in red shot him a superior look. "We are not questioning your loyalty _Ensign_" he said, putting special emphasis on the rank inferior to his own, ignoring Harry's indignant "Now see here…" and sleekly approaching Seven, visibly eyeing her up like an animal at market as he did so

"Now, Miss Hansen, or do you prefer Annika? I was just saying to the Ensign here…"

Squirming under his undisguised lecherous gaze and angered by his sneering use of the human name which still made her flinch, Seven adopted her customary defensive cold and aloof air before putting him in his place. "I _prefer _Seven or Seven of Nine."

"Isn't that a Borg designation?" said the irritating lieutenant with a smirk.

"No. Seven is the name my _friends _use; a Borg designation includes an assigned adjunct and Unimatrix."

"I sincerely hope we can be friends in the future but right now I need your access codes for this…room."

I sincerely hope not and I didn't work on Astrometrics for four years just to have it referred to as a room. "I do not have permission to give them to you."

"You have whatever permission you need, the Starfleet Chief of Operations himself made my mission of highest priority."

"That is irrelevant. I must ask Captain Janeway, she is my commanding officer."

"Not for much longer, unfortunately for you. She has her own bosses to answer to now. Why don't you make things easier and more _efficient _for yourself and just hand them over?"

"I cannot. They're in my mind." Not strictly true, she had a copy in her files and so did Harry and the Captain, but there was no reason for him to know that.

"Well, would you care to inform us?" The lieutenant's voice was assuming a distinctly threatening tone.

Before Seven could reply a new voice intervened, it was Tuvok. "Carter? Didn't I teach you ethics at the Academy? I seem to remember that you failed, which would be logical when your current behaviour is taken into account."

"Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, sir! I was only following my orders."

"Yes, unfortunately I am aware of that." He turned to Seven, "The Captain has given orders saying that whatever the Starfleet assessment officers request is to be given to them without delay."

"Yes Sir." Seven replied with no complaint, satisfaction filling her as she saw Lieutenant Carter bristle as he saw how quickly she obeyed Tuvok.

"Come with me."

Seven gratefully followed Tuvok out of Astrometrics. "I am grateful for your assistance."

"Icheb informed me of the situation when they dismissed him. I fear you will both face similar discrimination on Earth for the time being."

"I am aware of that." Said Seven stiffly, the confrontation had caused the reality of her situation, obscured by personal happiness, to hit her hard.

"Yet, Icheb has informed me that he still wishes to enter Starfleet Academy as soon as possible and despite these difficulties it can be arranged, he got the highest score on the exam ever recorded, my former colleagues are desperate to have him settled in so he can begin in September, if you agree."

"I am in full agreement. I am certain he will be even happier than I am to hear it."

"Good. I will inform him. Seven you cannot enter the cargo bay at this time; the authorities are assessing your regeneration system."

Seven tried not to show how disheartened and afraid that statement made her but didn't entirely succeed. "Is that is necessary?"

"They appear to believe so. I must return to my duties."

"Of course."

When Tuvok departed, Seven stood for several seconds uncertain of what she should do. Feeling oppressed by the crowds of strangers milling around her, she disappeared into the nearest doorway, finding a mercifully empty observation lounge, where she sat on a couch and gazed pensively out at the planet below her, thoughts swirling in her head like the clouds in the atmosphere.

A sudden sound made her jump and turn sharply to the doorway, only to see Chakotay standing there. "I thought you were in Astrometrics but the computer told me you were here, what happened?"

"I have been banned from Astrometrics." Stated Seven stoically, without looking at him.

Chakotay gave her a blank stare before sitting next to her on the couch. "How's that possible? You invented the place!"

"I did not invent it, I assimilated the knowledge and put it to use. Starfleet do not seem to trust my motives."

"If it makes you feel any better you're not the only one. Before I came to see you in the cargo bay I was being questioned about the Maquis."

"Why? I thought the Maquis was disbanded and then pardoned after the war with the Dominion."

"It was disbanded and they did pardon us, but it seems they still believe us to have shall we say…traitorous instincts."

"That is unpardonable! Their actions against myself are justified but yourself and the rest of the Maquis have an unquestionable love of the Federation!"

Comforted by her unusually passionate speech in his defence, Chakotay kissed her, but he was still concerned about her. "_Actions_? What else have they done?"

She told him about her confrontation in Astrometrics and her ban from the cargo bay, but he picked up on something else. "You're really not comfortable with your original name are you?"

"No." She looked at her hands for a moment and then at the face of the man she trusted and loved so deeply before elaborating. "Whenever I hear my human designation I can see and hear my father screaming for me" she swallowed the lump which suddenly came to her throat, while Chakotay winced as her memory came into the front of his mind. Seven saw the wince and said with deep concern "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just know what you mean." He replied softly, letting her rest her head on his shoulder before she continued.

"Everyone here calls me Seven, I feel that is my name. I apologise in advance for any erratic behaviour I may exhibit when we return to Earth, just because I have adapted previously doesn't mean I am entirely happy to be doing it again."

"It's going to be a big adjustment for us all I think, seven years is a long time…"

"All members of the Voyager crew please report to the mess hall." Said the Captain over the comm. system.

"At least when we get back to Earth we'll have a chance of getting some peace." Muttered a disgruntled Chakotay as they rose to leave, Seven just smiled wryly in response.

They were some of the last to enter the packed mess hall, where the Captain stood on a chair get a clear view before speaking. "Now here's what's going to happen, everyone has to take an overnight bag only and go and stay with family for the night. Tomorrow we'll come back in and get our belongings and then start the celebrations. Keep it quiet for today, we don't want to be ambushed by media straight away, is that clear?"

A booming "Yes Captain!" filled the room and people began to file out to call their families. Seven stayed where she was, she had nowhere to go now that her cargo bay had been closed to her. Chakotay took her hand and squeezed it.

"I have an apartment in San Francisco, I've not been there for ten years it's probably been rented out, but if it's free you can stay there with me or we can take a hotel?"

"Don't you have family you wish to see?"

"A cousin in Ohio but I'd rather spend the day with you."

Seven blushed slightly. "Thank you. I think I'll wear something less conspicuous for going out in public."

"You won't get rid of that dress will you?"

"Not if you like it."

"I do."

They went to Chakotay's quarters where he changed out of uniform, while Seven chose pair of trousers and a long sleeved top so that only her facial implants and her hand were showing.

They were eventually beamed into a dark and cramped transporter room on the surface where they were quickly ushered out the back door.

"Now I called ahead and my old landlord says the apartment is empty and he gave me the code."

"Let's go."

They avoided the crowded main thoroughfares at Seven's request and after twenty minutes of searching they found the apartment.

"I'll just go and open the door." Said Chakotay, running ahead, leaving Seven's side for the first time since they left Voyager. It was then that Seven registered a voice behind her and saw out of her peripheral vision the two Starfleet security officers that had been following them since they left the ship. Should I tell him? He'll over react and just make things worse. So she decided just to ignore them and when Chakotay returned she smiled at him as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"I can't ask you to stay in there."

Seven was hurt, he didn't want her. "Why not?" she asked shakily.

"It's dirty and there's hardly any furniture."

Seven tried to keep the relief from her voice. "I lived in cargo bay for four years, let me see it."

When they entered the dark cramped apartment, so dusty it made her cough, she couldn't help thinking that to say it was dirty was an understatement. "Do not worry. I will clean it."

"I can't let you do that, we can get a hotel."

Seven rolled up her sleeves in determination. "The more we procrastinate the worst the problem will become." Without another word she set to scrubbing the kitchen counter tops. Chakotay gave up without an argument and began to help her.

Within a relatively small amount of time they began to find this task less arduous, collapsing to the floor more than once in uncontrollable laughter while they were trying to repair the sonic shower. Chakotay couldn't believe he'd only heard her laugh for the first time three weeks before as he listened to her with love in his heart.

As afternoon turned to evening, Chakotay left the bedroom where he had been changing the bed linen and saw Seven kneeling on the now sparkling floor of the open plan living area. "I think this is the cleanest this apartment has ever been. Any luck with the replicator?"

"No."

"We can just go out to eat, if my memory serves me right there should be a little Italian place right round the corner from here."

"I_ will_ fix it."

"I know" he knelt down beside her on the floor, leaning over to whisper in her ear, "but I also know that this place has the best real ice cream outside of Italy."

Seven sat up abruptly, exasperated that he knew just how to tempt her. "I should be able to fix a replicator." Giving it one last tweak, she felt satisfaction wash over her as it lit up. "_Now_ we can go." She said, turning around and kissing him.

**A/n: I know even for a filler this isn't a very good chapter but please bear with me, the next one will be better. Anyway am I right about Chakotay only having a cousin? In some fanfics he has a sister but I don't remember one being mentioned. I decided to not change Seven's name firstly because it would confuse me a bit and secondly because to me it seems out of character for her to want to change her name. Please review! I'll update as soon as possible.**


	12. Chapter 12

When Seven and Chakotay entered the small dimly lit restaurant, they were immediately accosted by a short and rotund man who smiled at them genially, not seeming to register the significance of her facial implants.

"What can I do for you both this lovely evening? Wait…is that Chakotay?"

Chakotay smiled in pleasure at having been remembered. "So you're still here then Carlo?"

"Oh yes, they're not rid of me yet! I knew it was you, I never forget a face." Carlo looked appreciatively over at Seven. "I can see _you_ haven't forgotten your taste in women! Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Of course, this is Seven, Seven this is Carlo, the manager."

Carlo beamed at her. "Welcome back to Earth, senorina!"

"Good evening. It is a pleasure to meet you." Seven could say that sincerely, something in the man's manner reminded her of Neelix. "This is my first day on Earth."

"Your first day! Well, you came to the right place for your first Earth meal; you'll never want to eat that replicated trash again!"

Carlo guided them to a table in a quiet corner talking all the way. "So how's Starfleet treating you?"

"As well as can be expected." Seven replied in a guarded tone.

"Ah well, they wouldn't know a good thing if it kicked them in the teeth. So much bureaucracy! You know that Voyager was supposed to be landing tonight in a sea of fireworks and street party celebrations were being organised, I was fully booked! Then they cancelled it and there's going to be a more "muted tasteful welcome" their words not mine. They said they had to check for bio security threats before the ship could land." Seven and Chakotay exchanged an apprehensive glance, they knew it wasn't biological threats Starfleet were worried about.

Carlo took their orders and parted with "I'm sure it'll get sorted out soon enough, at least you get an evening to yourselves out of it."

"I couldn't agree more." Said Chakotay, speaking to Carlo but looking at Seven's pale pensive face.

They ate in companionable silence, neither wishing to bring up difficult topics, they were almost finished their main meal when Seven brought up a new topic of conversation. "My father's sister contacted me."

"Your aunt? When?"

"While we were still on Voyager. She wants to meet me."

"That's understandable. Did you make plans?"

"No. I have yet to contact her again. I spoke to her by comm. while in the Delta Quadrant but…"

"But you don't feel comfortable actually seeing her in the flesh." Chakotay finished for her.

"No."

"I don't think you can avoid her forever."

"I won't! That would be unnecessarily cruel."

"Look, I'm sure she's just as nervous at the prospect of seeing you. If you're worried about hurting her feelings you should just get that awkward first meeting over with and then things will settle down."

"What if she dislikes what I have become?"

"No!" He took her hand and stroked it, gazing at her intently. "She loves you already; you're her brother's only child. I'm sure she'll admire how well you've coped with all this."

Seven felt her initial resistance collapsing around her under the influence of his rational words and intense dark eyes. "I hope you're right. I will go and see her in Stockholm as soon as possible."

"Good." He said in relief, squeezing her hand. He turned away when a waiter asked them for dessert orders. "Two strawberry ice creams please."

Seven felt embarrassed at him putting her preference above his own. "You are overindulging me."

"I like it too. It has good memories."

While they were eating the ice cream, Chakotay brought up a new thread of conversation. "Seven do you know why I have that Borg transceiver?"

"Your spinal neuro transceiver? You were captured by a group of freed drones who healed your injuries using synaptic impulses created by the mind link."

"Yes. You were told what happened to them weren't you?"

"Yes. You entered into a relationship with one of them…"

Chakotay flushed. "Who told you that?"

"The Doctor, he was informing me about the social habits of the crew."

"I always knew he was a gossip."

"Yes, it has been proven to one of his flaws. Anyway, the drones used you to reconnect all of the former drones on the planet before freeing you and leaving under the provision of a new Collective."

"That's right. Now here comes my question, what do you think happened to them? They called themselves the Cooperative."

"The name means nothing; it is still a Collective, although separate from the original."

"Their principles would have disappeared quite quickly then?"

"Perhaps not." Seven gave a sigh, "Any comment I made would be pure speculation…"

"I want to know what you believe."

"I cannot be certain, but drawing from my own knowledge it is only a matter of time before any group linked as they were become like the Collective."

Chakotay was intrigued. "What knowledge?"

"The history of the Collective."

"The Collective knows its own history? Wouldn't that be considered irrelevant?"

"It is, but we all have fragments of memories from the original drones. Species One was torn apart by civil strife and disease, the cybernetics were conceived to halt the illness and to promote resistance against weaponry. The mental link came when the planet was almost totally obliterated and some scientists unified the remaining population by connecting their thoughts."

"What went wrong with their plan?"

"They did not consider the desire for fresh input by way of new members and the ruthlessness of a group cut off from individual emotions."

"You should tell Starfleet this! They would love this sort of information."

"I do not trust them with it. I realise that trust goes both ways but I do not trust Starfleet to use my knowledge properly as I did yourself and the Captain."

Chakotay didn't know what to say, he couldn't tell her not to worry, he didn't trust Starfleet either. "Trust comes gradually. They'll just have to accept that for the time being." Music came on in the background and Chakotay had an idea to lift the mood. "Dance with me."

Seven felt mortified and blushed furiously. "No!" She noticed his hurt look and guilt stabbed her. "I…I cannot dance."

"Everyone can dance, you just haven't tried before." Seeing that she still looked reluctant, he continued. "You don't have to be perfect…"

"I'll hurt you!"

"Why would you hurt me?"

I did when I last danced with a human; I dislocated Lieutenant Chapman's shoulder."

Chakotay felt an irrational jealousy surge through him. "_When _did you dance with Lieutenant Chapman?"

"Three years ago." She picked up on his jealousy. "The Doctor arranged it, it meant nothing."

Chakotay visibly relaxed, ashamed of his jealousy. "I promise you that you won't dislocate my shoulder, I'll lead."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure." He extended her hand to her which she gingerly took, before leading her to the tiny dance floor.

What they did next could hardly be called dancing in the classical sense, more akin to an embrace while swaying slightly to the music, but it had desired effect and when they left the restaurant they were more contented and at peace in each other's company than ever.

**A/n: I know it's another soppy filler but I wanted to get all my fluffy ideas out of my brain before I settled down to the more serious scenes coming up. Please review! I'll try to update as soon as possible but my broadband isn't being very cooperative so bear with me.**


	13. Chapter 13

Seven shifted onto her back, 0448 hours, too early to get up. She wasn't sure what had woken her but now that she was awake sleep would not return to her. Turning to look at Chakotay she envied his peacefulness. He should be peaceful, he's at home. She fondly stroked his cheek with the back of her human hand, watching as he registered her touch in his sleep and smiled unconsciously. A sudden sound outside made her jump out of her relaxed contemplation, but Chakotay didn't stir. His unenhanced ears must not hear the sound; it's nothing of great importance. As much as she tried to tell herself that, her nerves were shaken and she regretfully gently unwound Chakotay's arms from around her and got out of bed. Pain shot through her implants in complaint, she really did need a regeneration cycle she thought with irritation, the human way of doing things although much less efficient was also much more enjoyable. She threw her dressing gown over her nightdress, both replicated after their return from the restaurant and walked to the window, her enhanced eye leading her through the darkness. Lifting the flimsy curtain she peered out onto the street below, immediately catching sight of what she had feared. Two Starfleet security officers sitting in a vehicle watching the apartment block with binoculars. She had seen them throughout the day and had even caught them parked outside the restaurant but the fact that Starfleet obviously had her under constant surveillance even in the early hours of the morning sent her anxiety level up another notch.

Chakotay stirred in bed, reaching for Seven, only to find himself alone. "Seven?" he called out, unable to keep the anxious edge from his voice.

Seven turned her head to him but stayed where she was. "I am here."

Chakotay sat up, his bleary eyes struggling to make out her outline standing at the window. "It's five in the morning sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Seven sighed, unable to avoid such a direct question. "We appear to be under surveillance."

"_What_?" He rushed from the bed so quickly he almost fell. Meeting her at the window he peered out of the window, seeing nothing. "I don't see anything."

"On the left hand side of the street, five metres down, behind the street lamp."

He followed her instructions and saw what she was talking about, anger filling his chest. "How long have they been there?"

"We have been followed since we left Voyager, I hoped they would see it was a pointless exercise but it seems they have persisted."

This new knowledge made a fresh bone penetrating fear come alongside the anger. "I can't believe this! We're not criminals! Stay with me until things settle down."

Seven swallowed hard. "You believe I am in danger?"

Chakotay realised he had perhaps been too open with his fears; he tried to himself that they wouldn't hurt her but the fear had already sunk in. His silence gave an affirmative answer to her question and she stiffened. "I should not have told you…"

He moved behind her, curling his arm round her waist and pulling her against him, lowering his head onto her shoulder and kissing her neck. "You can tell me _anything_."

"I know." She turned into him and lightly kissed him on the chest. "Do not worry; I expected this reaction from Starfleet."

"Why?"

"Because I am" when he shot her a look she stopped herself "was Borg."

"That doesn't give them a right to…"

"It does. Your affection for me is making you forgetful; the crew of Voyager once had the same suspicions." She smiled softly at him. "A certain First Officer once referred to me as a scorpion."

Chakotay blanched at that. "I'm sorry! How did you know I said that?"

"I spent my first few days on board breaking into the personal log system. I stopped doing after my first week though. I always thought your comment was sensible and just." She sighed again, this time unable to hide her fear completely. "This is a different situation, Starfleet do not need me as Voyager did and its more susceptible to the whims of the population. The Captain had power over the crew, you had to do as she wished, Starfleet cannot command people to tolerate me."

"They'll learn." Chakotay murmured into her hair.

"Hopefully. I will stay with you for the time being."

"Good. I think we're awake now, do you want some tea?"

They retreated to bed with cups of tea, trying to put their anxieties to rest.

They returned later that morning to a Voyager full of rumours. Seven went straight to Sick Bay while Chakotay joined the congregation of senior officers in the Mess Hall.

Seven entered Sick Bay apprehensive of what she might find but only saw the Doctor flirting with a young blonde nurse. "Good morning, Doctor."

The Doctor jumped out of his skin and whirled around. "Seven! What are you doing here?"

"You said yesterday I was to come here as soon as I returned."

"Yes…yes I did, didn't I? You can go now Danielle." The nurse nodded her cheeks pink and left hurriedly.

Seven did nothing more than raise her eyebrows at him slightly and sat on the nearest biobed where he began to scan her.

"You need to regenerate, even if you are finding more…pleasant ways to spend your evenings."

Seven blushed at his innuendo. "Starfleet have confiscated my alcove."

"What? They can't do that it's essential for your health! I'll have a talk with them, not that they'll listen to a hologram. Anyway, are you being careful?"

"About what?" She asked in bemusement.

The Doctor coloured in embarrassment. "About…you know…_protection_."

Seven stared at him. "I thought _that_ was an impossibility."

"The chances are very minute yes, but it's better to be safe than sorry."

"I will do whatever you advise." They spoke quietly for several minutes and then she left to join Chakotay.

Meanwhile in the Mess Hall, Chakotay was having a very disconcerting conversation with Tom and Harry. "They say the Captain was being debriefed all night and into this morning, she never left the ship." Said Harry anxiously.

"My Dad says it's Admiral Colby they've sent up and that we've to be careful because he's a hard nut. He's been involved in both Borg and Maquis battles so I don't think either you or Seven will be getting a very sympathetic ear Chakotay. Thank God Dad managed to get B'Elanna a maternity exception from all this."

"Do you really think it'll be that bad…" Chakotay started but was interrupted by Seven's approach.

She had just given out her normal greetings when a comm. signal broke out across the room.

"Seven of Nine to the Briefing Room please."

Seven, prepare for interrogation!" hissed Tom.

"Good luck!" added Harry.

Chakotay walked with Seven to the door, wanting to come in with her but she held him back. "I must do this alone, my love."

Chakotay smiled at the new term of endearment and squeezed her hand supportively. "I'll wait out here."

She nodded and stepped in, the closing doors cutting her off from all outside support. She sat down beside the Captain, facing the Admiral before her.

"You are Seven of Nine, formerly Annika Kerstin Hansen, born on 30th of May 2349?" He asked her coldly.

"Yes. And you are?" His tone was already fostering a distrust within her.

"Admiral Geoffrey Elias Colby. I am the one who has been asked to debrief you."

"I will do everything I can to make your task as simple as possible." She replied as courteously as she could.

"Good, now I have been reading the ship's files and have learned that you have attempted to return to the Borg many times before, how do I know you will not attempt it again?"

"In those instances I was under either medical difficulties or coercion. I have not truly made a fully conscious attempt for years."

"Oh really? Pulled to the site of a crashed Borg ship, multiple personality disorder, returning to the Borg Queen, paranoia, helping a Borg resistance movement…"

"She did that under my command." The captain interjected.

"I understand that Captain, I've spoken to you, now I've speaking to _her_."

"The pull of the Collective is strong, I have often been affected by it." Seven admitted in an attempt to get him to understand.

"Oh I know _that_! How do the people of the Federation know you won't give in again and turn on us!"

"All I can give you is my word that I will _never_ willingly endanger the Federation." Seven said through gritted teeth.

"What good is your word? Even now you're under the direct influence of your Maquis lover…"

The disparaging reference to Chakotay made Seven's already strained patience snap. "Whatever influence you imply he has over me would only serve to benefit the Federation!" She glared at him in open icy defiance.

"Make you more likely to rebel more like…"

"If you are going to speak to me in this way, I will not remain here." She rose from her chair and the security guard went to block her at the Admiral' signal. Seven turned back to face him. "And I would appreciate it if you removed the surveillance you have placed on me before interrogating me in such a way again." The Captain gasped and turned angrily to face the Admiral who reeled in shock at her knowledge of his methods. "Excuse me, Captain." Said Seven politely, before turning on her heel and leaving unhindered.

**A/n: So round 1 goes to… You decide! Please review. I hope you liked this, I'm better at fluff than confrontation but there's going to be more so I need encouragement. I'll update soon. Can any of you tell me the name of Seven's mother? I need it for an upcoming chapter. I know her father's name but her mother's name eludes me. Thanks!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chakotay paced the mess hall anxiously, minutes feeling like hours as he awaited Seven's return. He was happy to see the doors opening but his hopes were dashed when only the Captain appeared. "What happened? Where's Seven?" he asked her urgently.

The Captain ran an exasperated hand over her face. "Plenty happened, nothing good, now _I _have to deal with it."

"Is Seven still with him?"

The Captain snorted. "No! She left rather…abruptly. I have no idea where she went. For God's sake go and find her, I can't leave it like this. I have to go make some calls." She left for her ready room without further explanation to a desperate Chakotay.

"Computer, locate Seven of Nine." He hoped she had put her comm. badge back on for coming aboard.

Thankfully she had. "Seven of Nine is in Cargo Bay 2."

He exhaled in relief and quickly made his way there. He was a bit surprised at what he found, she was just regenerating, maybe the Captain was overreacting. "Seven?" he called out cautiously. She didn't react, standing in her alcove as calm and unmoveable as ever. He argued with himself whether or not to disturb her, but knowing what was on the line he approached her and gently shook her arm. Her eyelashes fluttered open immediately and she stepped out to the familiar chorus of "Regeneration cycle incomplete."

She didn't bother with a greeting. "The Captain sent you."

"She didn't send me! Well, she asked me to come and get you but I'm here for my own reasons. What happened in there with the Admiral?"

"I have learned any attempt to converse with him would be futile."

"How do you know that?"

"He believes I will return to the Borg and put the Federation in danger." She stated as stoically as possible, her defences fully up.

He could see she wasn't telling him something and probed for more. "He said something else, something which upset you, what was it?"

She sighed and looked apprehensively down at her feet. Unable to delay any longer she replied in a wavering tone which surprised her. "He insulted you."

Chakotay was touched but still exasperated. "Seven! You can't just walk out of an important meeting just because someone insults me! You have to take the high road…"

She cut him off in order to clarify. "He said I was completely in the power of my Maquis lover who would undoubtedly lead me to rebellion."

That silenced him, he hadn't expected the remark to be that harsh and he knew she'd toned it down. His heart was silently cheering her actions but the rational part of his brain told him that he had to convince her to talk again if they wanted to be left undisturbed in the future. "Everyone's going to suspicious at first, they don't know us. We have to prove their assumptions wrong."

"I do not relish the prospect of just taking such insults…"

"That is irrelevant." He said with a teasing glint in his eye, knowing he was getting through to her.

"Unfortunately you are correct. I will return."

"Good." In recognition of the pain those remarks must have caused her, he hugged her close. "You're always very brave."

She sighed into his shoulder. "There is no point in being otherwise."

Characteristically, now that she had made her decision Seven wanted to begin her task immediately, so they left the cargo bay quicker than Chakotay had anticipated and made their way back to the meeting room, only for the Captain to call them away. "Seven of Nine and Chakotay to Transporter Room 2, please."

Intrigued they turned around and hurried there. Seven was shocked when she saw the two people that awaited them, a man and a woman. She had enough tact to stop herself calling him by his Borg designation. "Captain Picard."

Chakotay whipped his head round to her in surprise. Picard nodded to her pensively in acknowledgement. The woman beside him walked confidently up to them. "I'm Counsellor Deanna Troi; it's a pleasure to meet you."

Chakotay smiled at her and greeted her with his natural ease despite his confusion as to why they were here. "Commander Chakotay, it's nice to meet you too."

Seven stood stiffly, her arms defensively behind her back. "I am Seven of Nine, you may call me Seven."

"Thank you." Deanna replied gracefully, even she was having difficulty reading the younger woman's more subtle emotions, they were very much shielded and under the surface.

Picard finally spoke up, addressing Janeway. "Kathryn, you said you wanted me to speak to Admiral Colby?"

"Yes that's right."

"I think it would be better if all of us met him together." Deanna said softly but with unmistakable authority.

"Of course." Said Picard. "Show me the way please Kathryn."

They made a near silent procession back to the meeting room where Admiral Colby stood up in surprise at their entrance. "Jean-Luc! Deanna! I didn't know you were coming!"

"Starfleet thought these meeting could use a fresh perspective, if you would allow us Admiral?" said Picard smoothly.

"Yes, of course!" he said loudly, before addressing Picard in more hushed tones. "Listen Jean-Luc, I know you were taken by the Borg, but this woman is a whole other kettle of fish…"

"Just relax, for a moment sir."

Seven saw her moment and spoke up. "I apologise for my manner of leaving the meeting, it was deeply irrational of me." In return she got a proud smile from both Chakotay and Deanna.

"Yes well, it was perhaps wrong of me to pass judgement on your relationship. Even you have a right to privacy." Replied Colby gruffly.

Seven, Chakotay and even Captain Janeway bristled at the "even." Deanna saw the first sign of passion in Seven when her relationship was mentioned and felt pleased.

"You do not deny that the Borg still have some influence over you?" Colby asked Seven directly, not beating about the bush.

Seven's back straightened as she met his hard gaze. "I do not deny that I remain more Borg than human" her voice wavered slightly, "I was raised by the Borg, I have spent the majority of my life with the Collective, such an outcome was unavoidable, but I am now an individual and I have no desire to give that up."

"To give you some perspective Admiral, Seven was assimilated just after her sixth birthday and lived as a drone until we rescued her four years ago." Janeway remarked to further strengthen Seven's case.

"I myself can tell you how consuming it is Admiral, I admire Seven for managing to come this far." Said Picard in a measured tone.

"Come to me please, Seven of Nine." Requested Colby suddenly.

Deanna whispered advice in Seven's ear as she rose. "His daughter was assimilated while on a mission for Starfleet, forgive his bitterness."

Seven nodded as understanding washed over her and she now approached him without fear, looking at him directly but with a soft expression on her face. "Admiral if it is true that your daughter was assimilated, then I am truly sorry…"

"Don't you dare talk about her, you're a drone, it's your fault!" He waved her away angrily but she stood her ground.

"It is not my fault any more than it is hers. I was taken as she was, as all of the Collective once were. We are all a loss for someone. You would not like your daughter being accused of assimilating someone because you would not think it's her fault. Blame and revenge changes nothing and helps no one." She said that speech with such quiet assurance that her point sank into everyone.

The Admiral looked at her with tear filled eyes, seeing what his daughter could have become. Solidarity with her softened his anger and calmed his constant grief. "What would you like to do on Earth Seven?" he asked suddenly.

Seven was taken aback but responded truthfully. "Something peaceful in nature."

He smiled at her. "Good. I'm sure Starfleet will find that acceptable." He left hurriedly without another word and they began to file out. Deanna caught Chakotay's arm as he tried to follow Seven.

"You are a lucky man to have the love of someone with such a pure soul." She told him.

"I know." He replied his eyes still on Seven.

**A/n: Someone told me not to make Starfleet too evil so I changed my idea, I hope I didn't go too far the other way. Did you like the TNG cameos? Please review! I have started a new C7 story, make me happy and read it too. It's called "Lost and Found". Don't worry I'll update both of them regularly.**


	15. Chapter 15

Fear. Pure unadulterated fear ran through her as the silent drone reached for her arm. Her mother screamed wildly and ran to save her daughter but fell forward as the Borg injection tubes went into her side, her head hitting the floor a few steps from her daughter's hiding place, her face already diffused with the sinister silver metal, green eyes still open and staring blankly. "_Erin_!" her father cried out in anguish. She was unable to move, horribly transfixed by her mother's wrecked features and convulsing body. Her father's panic filled almost animal like shout broke the spell, "Annika, _run_!" She obeyed mindlessly, her head crashing against the console she had been hiding under but she ran towards her bedroom, in her young mind a sanctuary from the inescapable. The ship lunched causing her to collide with the wall, adrenaline forced her on but suddenly she was in the air, a stranger's arm around her waist in a vice like grip. "_Papa_!" she screamed, seeing him kneeling on the floor, a drone standing over him. There was a buzzing sound and the last thing she saw was the ship disappearing.

Chakotay sat up, dragged awake by an eerie scream on the edge of his consciousness. He realised it wasn't a dream when he saw a shaking, sweating and screaming Seven standing in her regeneration alcove. "Computer, end regeneration cycle!" he shouted.

"Unable to comply."

"_Why not_?" he yelled, before running to the alcove and shaking her, as he normally did to wake her, but it had no effect. "Seven! Wake up!" he said forcefully. She remained as she was, shaking and muttering in her alcove.

Her eyes fluttered open; she could hear nothing except a constant buzzing noise, like the bees in her aunt's beehive. Where was she? The only light had a green hue, like the pea soup her mother often forced her to eat, thinking of her mother, she immediately wanted to see her. This was a strange dream, she should wake up now, Papa would want to eat breakfast soon. She tried to sit up but found that she couldn't. "Mama?" she called out. No response, that was strange. Her head and side hurt, dreams weren't meant to be painful, she could taste something sweet in her mouth, like the time she'd bitten her tongue. "Papa, where are you?" Panic choked her when he didn't come. She tried to sit up again, pain searing her brain, when she lifted her hand away from her hair she saw it was red with blood. "Ma…ma!" she sobbed, "Pa…pa! Help me!" The silence just intensified, and she began to sob hysterically. "Don't leave me here!" Steady, heavy footsteps filled her with hope, and she lifted her head. What she saw lifted the veil and she remembered the horror, two drones, one male and one female were approaching her. She tried to back away, but fear paralysed her. They loomed over her and she kicked out wildly, until she saw their faces. The female had long locks of familiar red gold hair which was gradually falling out. The male put his arm round her back and lifted her up almost gently, a single piercing blue human eye, a mirror image of her own pair, gazing at her terrified, tear stained face nonchalantly. She whimpered in denial and tried to push him away, but he remained still as stone. The last thing she was aware of before her mind was wiped clean was a sharp sudden pain which made her groan, the buzzing closing in on her as she lost her focus on her father's face. What remained of her mind fled to the reassuring chorus of voices she would hide in for the next eighteen years.

Chakotay cried out wordlessly in frustration and anxiety as the screaming disintegrated into sobs. I can't just leave her like that! In final desperate attempt to wake her he grabbed her round the waist and pulled her from the alcove, falling backwards with her in his arms. Sparks flew as electricity surged to the now empty alcove, but Chakotay ignored that as a now awake Seven pushed away from him, hyperventilating hard, eyes open but not recognising anything.

"It's alright now; you were having a nightmare or a flashback or something…"

Seven looked at him blankly; she caught a glance of her cybernetic arm, a vision of her mother's mutilated face filled her mind and she began to sob uncontrollably. Horribly frightened, Chakotay somehow managed to grasp hold of her and pull her to him. "What happened, my love?" he choked out, reducing his tone to a whisper as he repeated over and over "Tell me, tell me please…"

After several minutes Seven's self awareness returned. "Chakotay?" barely above a whisper.

"I'm here. What happened?"

"Memories of my assimilation…no…it can't have been like that…I shouldn't remember…"

"Flashbacks can happen, sweetheart…"

Seven pressed herself tighter against him, longing to deny the things she'd just seen, but was unable to. Chakotay could feel her stomach churning and led her to the bathroom where she was sick until all she could do was dry heave, tears still streaming down her face. He carried her back to their bed where he laid her down and cuddled into her as the shivers of shock slammed into her.

Eventually, after an uncounted number of hours, Seven spoke in a tone of high agitation, her fists clenched. "I don't understand! Why now?"

"Flashbacks are natural after a trauma…" Seven stiffened at the word but said nothing, "it's how the mind deals with it, do you want to talk about it?"

She was going to say no but ended up slowly telling him, holding nothing back despite her concern about his reaction. It was worse than anything he had expected or feared, but he managed to keep his head, even as she asked him not to tell anyone. "No, it's private!"

"Why do I feel so upset and…angry, I knew I had been assimilated with them, it's not their fault that they assimilated me anymore than it was my fault for trying to assimilate Voyager!"

"No, it's not…but you have to allow yourself to grieve over them and your own loss of eighteen years out of your life."

"I don't know them!" she replied hotly.

"Emotions aren't always logical like you want them to be, my love." Chakotay reminded her sadly.

"No, they're not." She said quietly.

"Do you know what might have brought this on?"

"Admiral Colby asked me what happened to his daughter, I couldn't tell him anything." She remembered how betrayed he had looked as she had informed him, as if he had been relying on her and she had crushed all his hopes. Her speech on Voyager a month ago had obviously only had a short lived affect on his view of her. "I am supposed to meet my aunt tomorrow."

"All that would definitely bring back the memories. I'll talk to your aunt…"

"No! I must confront this!"

Seeing by the determined glint in her eye that she was set on this course, he let her be. "Seeing her might help both of you with your loss."

"I hope you're right."

The next day Seven made the short transporter trip to Stockholm to see her aunt. As soon as she stepped out outside in search of the café in which they were meeting, she was struck at how beautiful and calm it was compared to the wild overpopulation of San Francisco. Numerous bridges linked the islands which constituted the city, sweeping over the clear blue water. Old but well maintained buildings lined the streets, colourfully but tastefully painted in pastel shades and ancient church spires pierced the sky. Taking all this in calmed her somewhat and she found the café relatively easily, sitting in a picturesque position by the water's edge on a quiet street. As manoeuvred past the many tables on the patio a silver haired woman rose from her chair with a shocked yet happy look on her face called out "Annika?"

This was the one person she would allow to call her that name ever. She couldn't help from frowning slightly as she tried to remember her properly. "Irene Hansen?"

The woman smiled with relief and came over. "Come sit…please. We need to talk." Seven nodded silently, catching the nerves in the older woman's voice and sat down where she indicated. Irene ordered and they sat in an awkward silence while they awaited their food, giving Seven time to observe her only living close relative. Her face was relatively unlined, despite the fact that she was sixty five, although she had allowed her hair to turn silver which was tied back in a loose bun. She could see the resemblance to her father in height and facial structure but most especially in the alert pale blue eyes which they all shared.

Their drinks appeared and Irene finally broke the silence. "Ah, you look so much like your mother and my mother too, your grandmother, the other Annika Hansen."

"I was named after my grandmother?" Seven couldn't help but be interested.

"Oh yes, your father worshipped her and your mother gave in."

Seven wasn't sure how to continue the conversation, but gave it a try. "And my maternal grandmother?"

"Oh, how she reacted is a story for another day!" she laughed at the memory. "She'd loved Magnus up to that point, but after there was a grandchild she forgot about him!"

They began to eat their food and Irene grasping around for another topic, mentioned other family memories but Seven stonewalled, her defences up. Finally she found a neutral topic. "So…how's work?"

"I have been assigned by Starfleet to help design new sensors and labs for ships, based on the Borg technology I used to build Astrometrics on Voyager." Irene flinched at the mention of the Borg and Seven instantly regretted her words.

"I never really wanted them to go, but it was their decision and I let them, I'm sorry I did."

Seven, sensing guilt spoke up. "I don't think it was question of _allowing _them, they would have gone whatever you argued."

Irene uttered something between a bitter laugh and a sob. "Yes, I suppose you're right." She stood up suddenly. "Come with me." Bluntness was obviously a family trait.

Seven looked at her in confusion. "To where?"

"There's something you need to see."

Seeing implacable determination, Seven gave in. "As you wish."

Seven's confusion only grew as Irene led her to a apartment block and up to the third floor before opening the door with a set of keys. Surely she's not taking me to her house? Her questions were answered as soon as she stepped inside. Familiar items abounded and memories washed over her. It was her family home. She sank against a wall trying not to show the agony of remembrance as her aunt walked around. "They asked me to look after it while they were away, of course I did. I thought you were all dead. He was my twin brother, a workaholic from birth, his passion was biology and he would shut himself up. He wouldn't have met your mother if it wasn't for me, she was my best friend at college, one year I brought her back with me from Cambridge, Magnus loved her immediately, the green eyes, Irish accent and same love of biology…Then they were introduced to the notion of the Borg, they couldn't let it be. They would have gone on that mission a lot earlier but Erin found out she was pregnant and they'd been trying for so long. He was so happy, you were his angel, I hoped your birth would get rid of that idiotic idea but when you were three they decided to you were old enough to go with them…For three years I got a weekly update from them but just after your sixth birthday they stopped…" Irene wept bitterly, old wounds opening up.

Seven, sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, overwhelmed and crying, finally managed to speak. "Aunt Irene…I don't blame them, I feel pain over it as you do but nothing will change…"

"I know, I'm glad you don't…I was worried…but it doesn't matter now, you have come back." She knelt down and hugged her. "They'd be so proud of you, for regaining yourself…don't worry about that."

Seven was surprised at the sudden intimacy but realised as she returned her aunt's hug that Chakotay had been right, she and her aunt were helping each other to heal.

**A/n: I'm worried Seven is out of character, please review and tell me! I thought all this would **_**make **_**her more emotional even if just with her aunt. If she is out of character please forgive me, I've just wanted to tell her parents story for a long time.**


	16. Chapter 16

As they both adapted to life on Earth, their homesickness for Voyager lessening and their careers developing though not always as they expected, life for Seven and Chakotay settled into a happy routine and as Christmas of 2377 approached, six months after Voyager's triumphant return, they were still living together in his apartment, what had originally been a temporary arrangement had rapidly become permanent as their emotions and lives became intrinsically intertwined.

With the start of December the inevitable parade of strings of bright lights and sumptuously decorated trees began to line every street of San Francisco. As the last two weeks of the month dawned, Seven was walking home from her last day at work at the Federation Institute of Physics as it closed for the holidays. She was slightly irked and confused that everything closed for two weeks either side of the 25th of December, it was a waste of a perfectly good working month, if they'd had that amount of shore leave on Voyager they would still be in the Delta Quadrant. Her mind was still working hard as she let herself into the apartment and sat down abruptly on the couch beside Chakotay whom she absentmindedly kissed lightly in greeting before kicking off her shoes with a sigh of exasperation.

Intrigued by this unusually open sign of frustration, Chakotay asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Seven frowned in uncertainty at the phrase, but got enough of its meaning to respond. "My thoughts? I am once again irritated by the emotional reactions of my colleagues, they do not respond well when I correct their misconceptions."

Chakotay couldn't help laughing, I'm sure they're not reacting well. Who would when the theories they've been working on for years are instantly dismissed by a woman young enough to be their daughter or granddaughter? "Scientists have pet theories my love, they won't like it when you immediately dismiss years of work and correct them with your own theories."

"If I know something is incorrect it is cruel not to inform them. They would waste time if I did not. The Borg have knowledge of millions of species, they should be happy to gain such advanced information."

"I'm sure they are…deep down, it's just that not everyone is as practical as you when it come to these things, try to be patient with them."

"I will make an attempt. How is your work?"

"Boring, as usual." He sighed bitterly, he didn't like his work.

Seven deftly changed the subject. "Explain the importance of Christmas to me."

Chakotay was by now used to her sudden questions, but this one stunned him. "Christmas? It's the most important holiday of the year for the vast majority of humans."

"It was not celebrated by the crew on Voyager."

"No…well, the Captain decided it would be too upsetting for the crew. Christmas is a very family orientated holiday."

"Why?"

Her ignorance saddened him, she couldn't even remember Christmas. "It's traditional to be with your family and friends at Christmas. There are presents round a tree and a big meal."

"You sit around a tree outside in the depths of Earth's winter?" asked Seven incredulously, even in the relative warmth of San Francisco that would surely not be pleasant.

"No! The tree is inside and decorated and you open the presents before your meal."

"You expect all these arrangements this year?"

"No…I mean it would be nice I suppose…"

"If you desire it, you will have it. I will conduct research."

"You don't have to, Seven…"

"I will." She smiled wryly at his expression, "You know I like a challenge as much as you do."

Chakotay gave in under the light of her earnestness. "All right, but let me help you…"

As she disappeared off to conduct what he knew would be hours of intense research, Chakotay couldn't help thinking that he had just opened a _very _big can of worms.

Several days later, Seven was on the phone with her Aunt Irene, discussing her plans. "Will you be able to attend, Aunt Irene?" Her relationship with her aunt had been growing close since their first meeting and Seven consulted her about many things. Her flashbacks and dreams about her parents still occurred but they had become less frequent as her life had calmed down.

"Of course I will, Annika! Do you want me to come early to help you prepare?"

"I would appreciate that." The console she was using suddenly flashed a red light. "I'm getting another call, may I call you back?"

"Of course." They said goodbye quickly and Seven pressed a button which made her aunt's face fade away and be replaced by a man she didn't know.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your evening ma'am, may I speak to Chakotay?"

"Of course, I will inform him." She rose and walked into the living room. "You have a call, my love." She told him softly.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know."

Chakotay went to the bedroom and sat at the console, Seven discreetly taking her leave.

"Am I speaking to Chakotay?" asked the man.

"Yes, to whom am I speaking?"

He man smiled. "Oh yes, I haven't introduced myself have I? Your beautiful wife threw me off track."

Chakotay didn't bother to tell him that Seven wasn't his wife. "Yes, she can do that to most men."

The man laughed, "Certainly! Anyway the reason I'm calling you is to see if you are interested in a job offer. I'm Jake Robinson and I'm head of human resources at the Federation Institute of Anthropology, Earth Branch, in Flagstaff, Arizona."

To say that Chakotay was shocked would have been an understatement. A job offer? In the very place he'd longed to study since childhood? Robinson laughed again, "I can see on your face that you're considering it!"

"You're joking right? Of course I'm considering it! It's been my dream to work there…"

"Oh, we know, you have come _very_ highly recommended. The job is Senior Ancient Culture Anthropologist, with a lecturing role at the school. The Board of Directors' want to meet you at the end of the holidays."

"To interview me?" asked Chakotay apprehensively, he hadn't been to a job interview in twelve years at least.

"More accurately for you to interview _them_."

Chakotay blew air out through his teeth, "It sounds perfect, there must be a catch?"

"Well it depends whether you consider living in Flagstaff a catch, you could continue to live in San Francisco if you wanted of course, but in the past people have found commuting tiresome even with transporters."

Move out there? Could he do that to Seven? Would she come with him? These questions whirled around his head as the conversation continued.

When the conversation finally drew to a close, he returned back to Seven looking so anxious that she immediately asked him what was wrong.

"I've been offered a job."

"Really? Where?"

"At the Federation Institute of Anthropology in Arizona, as a Senior Ancient Cultures Anthropologist, I would get to teach too."

"That is wonderful, it is what you have always desired, you must call them back and accept."

"There's one thing, we would need to move down there."

"That is no obstacle, I am sure it's a pleasant environment, I can work anywhere."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Only people attach me to this city and I can visit, I will have you and you will be happier…unless you would prefer to live alone…this _was_ supposed to be a temporary arrangement…"

Chakotay stopped her with a long tender kiss, pulling back only slightly to murmur huskily, "Neither one of us is going to live alone until the other is dead, ok sweetheart?"

"Yes" replied Seven. "What arrangements have you made?"

"I said I'd go and meet them in January, I was going to take you on holiday to see some more of Earth though…"

"I have yet to see the Grand Canyon with my own eyes and I would like to assess where we're going to live."

His only response to that was passionate repetitive kissing.

They decided to keep their decision to themselves until it was finalised, so when Christmas Eve dawned only Icheb, who had moved from Starfleet Academy to stay with them for the holidays, knew of it.

When Chakotay entered the room that morning he found both former drones kneeling on the floor surrounded by data pads. "What have you got planned for today?"

"We are going to decorate the rooms and purchase a Christmas tree." Seven answered.

"And purchase a table big enough for all the guests." Icheb interjected.

Seven nodded to Icheb in thanks. "You are correct Icheb. Thank you for reminding me. It would have been a regrettable omission."

Chakotay thought about telling them not to work too hard, but knew it would fall on two sets of deaf ears. "I'm going out to run some errands, ok?"

"That's fine." Seven replied distractedly, reading her data pads.

Chakotay picked up a bag from their bedroom and walked straight to the jewellers in the city centre, pulling a large square box from the bag as he did so, setting it down on the counter."Hello, I'm here for the bracelet I ordered to match this." He told the shop assistant, opening the box to reveal a fabulous necklace, a huge pale blue aquamarine hanging from a rope of flawless pearls. The shop assistant gazed in awe and immediately went to get his order. The necklace itself was to be a gift to Seven from her Aunt Irene; it was a Hansen family heirloom apparently. She had brought it to Chakotay to seek his advice as to whether she would like to have it as she had never seen Seven wearing any jewellery. Chakotay had been so sure that she would he had ordered a matching bracelet made as his present to her. When the bracelet came it was prefect, a string of pearls with an aquamarine hanging from it just like the necklace. A male assistant saw him and piped up, "We have some lovely engagement rings that would complement that set sir."

Chakotay looked up in surprise. "How did you know I was…"

"I've been working here twenty years, you get a sense." He knelt down and drew out a set of rings from a case. "Take a look."

One immediately jumped out at him, a relatively simple platinum ring with a diamond set in the centre and an aquamarine either side. It only took him a matter of seconds to make a life changing decision. "Can you keep it here?"

Presents were also the topic of conversation with Seven and Icheb. "What did you get him Seven?" Icheb asked, feeling curious.

Seven flushed slightly as she showed him the present, she wasn't sure if it was adequate or appropriate. It was a beautiful watch with the pattern of Earth's constellations engraved on the face. "His father got him a similar one for his twenty first birthday but he lost it in a battle with the Cardassians, I hope he is not offended by my replacement of such a sentimental item…"

Icheb took her by the shoulders and gave her a direct piercing gaze. "I am _certain_ he won't be offended."

Chakotay reeled back in shock when he entered the apartment that afternoon. It was transformed into Christmas itself, red and gold decorations were everywhere, a real tree dominated one corner, the most beautifully decorated one he had ever seen, laden with intricate hangings. I should have known, he thought laughing inwardly, I've never known either of them to lack ambition. Icheb noticed him staring at the tree and said apologetically, "I'm sorry for the tree's lack of proportion, Chakotay, we could not locate a tree which matched the dimensions of this room exactly."

"That's okay Icheb…" Chakotay suddenly noticed Seven glancing from the tree to a data pad in her hand and back again with a dissatisfied frown on her face. "What's wrong Seven?"

"The tree does not match the picture exactly."

It was only then that Chakotay realised they had been using pictures as a reference to copy from. He took the pad from her hands and glanced at it. "No it doesn't match, its better." He clasped her hand, "Everything's perfect, both of you, just try to relax now, ok?"

"As you wish." Both Seven and Icheb replied in exact unison.

The next morning went off without a hitch, Seven loved both her necklace and bracelet to an intense degree but had to be coaxed into wearing them by Chakotay as she was afraid to damage them. Chakotay was touched by her remembering the story of the watch and put it on immediately to assure her, kissing her several times in public without the excuse of mistletoe in appreciation.

Everyone was about to arrive for the evening meal, all of Voyager's senior officers and Naomi and got out of previous commitments just to see what Seven, who had only known about Christmas for a couple of weeks, managed to pull off. The meal went well, everyone was very impressed, even the Admiral who passed the right to give the toast to an embarrassed Seven who stood up awkwardly, staying silent until Chakotay smiled encouragement. "Thank you all for coming…" she paused to let them give their thanks. "I want to wish you all a…Merry Christmas and may 2378 be a year of new beginnings for us all."

"Here, Here!" Said Chakotay, giving her a significant smile as she sat back down.

**A/n: I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written, so please review with your thoughts. I know I'm being a bit unseasonal, but the idea of a Christmas chapter was just too cute for me to resist! I'll update soon.**


	17. Chapter 17

Seven jerked awake, the screams of countless Borg victims ringing in her ears, frightened and disorientated she scanned the room rapidly, tension only releasing its tight grip around her shoulders when her eyes came to rest on the sleeping body of Chakotay lying in the darkness. Exhaling shakily in relief she stepped from her alcove, went to the bathroom and tried to rid herself of the lingering anxious feelings with a splash of cold water on her face. The Doctor did warn me that the removal of the emotional failsafe would mean these traumatic memories would continue to recur. A vision of her parents faces from her first dream; by now burnt into her conscious memory appeared again, she leaned into the wall, momentarily squeezing her eyes shut, a sudden longing for the relative simplicity of her life on Voyager coming over her. She went to the bedroom window, peering out in hope of seeing the stars which connected her somehow to her former life, but they remained hidden behind the oppressive cityscape. She allowed her head to rest on the cool glass with a sigh. Surely she couldn't fail in her resolution to fully adapt to life on Earth only five days after making it? According to Earth custom the start of a new solar orbit signified new beginnings, a time to make so called "New Year Resolutions". Everything had just changed so soon, that day they were planning to go to Flagstaff for Chakotay's interview, she had yet to tell him about her procurement of a position in that city's Lowell Observatory. The thought of how happy he would be when she informed him lightened her mood considerably, she glanced over at him, maybe he was right and she did put herself under too much unnecessary pressure?

This question was still in her mind as she climbed into bed with him, but as she settled on his chest and once more heard the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat, it was replaced by another. Would she ever give up the fulfilment that love gave her in exchange for a simpler more efficient life where she felt nothing? No, her heart and mind both answered as the warmth of his arms gently lulled her into sleep.

As that morning turned into afternoon, Chakotay completed his packing for the three day trip to Flagstaff and a certain matter which had been pressing on his mind since Christmas almost two weeks before returned to the forefront of his thoughts. Agitated, he sought out Seven, finding her kneeling on the living room floor, numerous belongings and a suitcase spread out before her. "Almost ready?" he asked her.

"Yes, my preparations will soon be complete."

"Good, I'm going to nip out for a bit and when I come back we'll go, okay?"

"That's an acceptable plan."

He was relieved that she didn't seem to notice his nervousness as he left the apartment with as much calm as he could muster and practically to the city centre jewellery shop he had begun to frequent unnaturally often. "Is it ready?" he asked the male shop assistant hurriedly.

"Oh yes, perfectly sized to your specifications sir." He pulled out a small velvet ring box and put it in Chakotay's outstretched hand.

Chakotay opened it apprehensively, exhaling in relief when he saw the platinum diamond and aquamarine ring which had so tormented him over Christmas. Getting Seven's ring size without alerting her had been a ordeal in itself, after several failed hints he'd had to resort to measuring her finger with a measuring tape while she regenerated, not as easy task as she wasn't exactly a heavy sleeper, but mercifully he had gotten away with it. "Thanks so much." He told the assistant gratefully.

"Good luck! How are you going to do it?"

"I was thinking of the edge of the Grand Canyon."

"Impressive! Famous but not too cliché."

That encouragement was still spinning around his brain as he returned to the apartment. What he saw shocked him, Seven had filled two suitcases and was rapidly packing data pads into a third. "Wow, the stereotype _is _true! All women over pack! Surely this isn't very efficient Seven? We're only going for three days!"

Seven reacted unusually badly to his teasing. "I am not_ over _packing! It would be inefficient of me to forget something I may require."

Chakotay picked up two of the data pads and read their titles. "Atmospheric Phenomena Unique to Section 32.7 of the Beta Quadrant…Supernovas and Their Known Consequences…Seven, we're going on vacation not an astronomy conference…" Seven lowered her head and bit her lip and unease shot through him. "What is it?"

"I…I have procured myself a post at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, they asked to see some of my research."

"You have a job, that's wonderful!" He knelt down to kiss her deeply, as he was pulling back he eyed the other two suitcases suspiciously and opened them both to reveal meticulously stacked data pads and only the bare minimum of clothes. "I should have known!" he laughed. "They won't be expecting all this, just take one case for your clothes and some research."

Seven frowned and decided to bargain. "Two." She said stubbornly, kissing him to weaken his resolve.

Chakotay was, of course, the first to cave in. "Okay, okay! Two it is! Let's just go!"

They arrived in Flagstaff in the early evening, just as the sun was setting and were able to admire the golden light as it dipped below the snow capped San Francisco Peaks which hugged round the city. Seven knew she was going to like the place as soon as she inhaled her first breath of cool clean mountain air and observed the twinkling stars above them.

They checked into their hotel and filled the couple of hours until dinner leisurely. The popular penthouse restaurant Chakotay had booked for them was full to capacity, so they had to struggle to see the famous views over the city. Seven couldn't help noticing his increased agitation as the meal wore on and he himself knew he wasn't being natural as the ring hidden in his pocket weighed heavily on his mind. He finally managed to turn the conversation round to his way of thinking by making a suggestion. "Why don't we go to the Grand Canyon in the morning?"

"I thought we wanted to see the sunrise? We will be late for our work meetings if we do it tomorrow, it can wait until Wednesday."

Damn, I wanted to get this over with! I know I'm going to be like a nervous wreck around her until I ask, good God it's like our first date all over again!

Just then the question he was thinking about was asked by the man in the table across from them, Seven watched, unsure of what was going on as the man got down on one knee and the whole room burst into applause. Seven blushed, feeling awkward at the display of what she considered intensely private, almost sacred emotions. "Isn't that a question that should be asked in private?" she whispered to Chakotay.

Chakotay felt as if he was sinking into the floor with embarrassment at the uncanny coincidence and took some time to respond. "It depends on personal taste, I suppose." He replied awkwardly. Well no one will bother us at the Grand Canyon.

The next day was spent almost entirely at their respective job interviews and they both went so well that they were immediately accepted, their move to Flagstaff was now a certainty. Chakotay was in such a good mood that he managed to behave relatively naturally and Seven was too full of excitement over her new duties to be very observant of his manner.

Seven was woken by the sound of the sonic shower at 0430 hours the next morning. Chakotay's overly excited behaviour was very abnormal and she confronted him with, "I thought you told me it was unnatural for a human to be awake so it early in the morning."

"It is…" he said, caught out. "…but I'm just so excited to be taking you to the Grand Canyon." Whew, good recovery, he thought deeply relieved. Unbeknownst to him Seven had seen through the feigned innocence but trusted him enough to let it go.

He practically dragged her out of the hotel lobby in his eagerness to go, but Seven stooped him in his tracks with, "Wait! We need to wait for the rest of the group!"

Chakotay stared at her blankly. "Group?" he echoed.

"The tour group." Seven stated.

"Exactly why do we need a tour group?" Chakotay was starting to get that sinking feeling.

"It is against National Park regulations to go to the Grand Canyon without an approved group and registered guide." Seven explained; worry entering her consciousness as she saw how pale Chakotay suddenly looked. "Are you unwell my love?"

Chakotay was pulled out of his stupor by her concerned tone and felt guilty. "No…no, I'm fine, don't worry."

Seven wasn't fully convinced but saw the other members of the group and turned away. Chakotay also saw them, a large babbling group; there was no way his plan would work now.

They rode on a rather rickety bus until they reached the drop off point and they were all piled off and walked to near the edge by torch just as the sun was beginning to rise. Chakotay was for a time transfixed by the beautiful scene as a rainbow of colours flooded the canyon, with all its magnificent crevasses formed over millennia. Just as the spectacle was reaching its peak Chakotay gripped Seven's hand tight and decided to ask her anyway. "Seven…"

"It's fabulous, isn't it?" asked a man who suddenly appeared next to them at the worse possible moment.

"Yes, it is." Seven replied courteously, glancing over at Chakotay, who had an unreadable look on his face, gripping her hand so hard it hurt and kissed him impulsively.

Chakotay forgot all about the swear words he'd had been on the brink of saying to that unfortunate man as she kissed him. "What was that for?" he murmured as she pulled back.

"For loving me." She whispered simply, resting her head on his shoulder.

Oh Seven, you have no idea how much I needed to hear that.

He was in a much more relaxed state of mind that night when the perfect idea finally came to him as he looked up at the clear sky in reflection. "Excuse me" he asked the hotel valet, "does this hotel have a roof terrace?"

"Yes, of course, sir." He replied.

Seven watched this exchange in confusion as a beaming smile crossed across Chakotay's face. "Come on!" he cried exuberantly, pulling her upstairs by the hand.

"It's minus six degrees Celsius outside, what reason can you possibly have to bring me up here?"

"Just trust me, you'll like it!" he responded. Seven was unable to argue with that and allowed him to lead her.

When they reached the roof terrace, Chakotay ordered her to lie down, she shot him a look and he laughed and laid down first, as she joined him, she realised what he'd meant, there was a glorious carpet of stars hanging above them. She huddled under his arm. "You were correct, I do like it."

After several minutes of quiet contemplation, Seven was brought out of it with a jolt when Chakotay murmured "Marry me" into her ear.

"What?" she asked shakily and tried to sit up, but he prevented her, it was then that she saw the ring and was utterly silenced. Finally after many long seconds of him watching her anxiously, she managed to croak out, "Are you sure?"

"Yes! Of course I'm sure!" he exclaimed his eyes burning into her.

Realising the significance of his behaviour of the last three days, she stroked his face. "You…you…tried to ask me at the Grand Canyon didn't you?"

"Yes…yes, I did." He responded with a crimson blush spreading across his features, until he noticed the tears running down her pale cheeks. "What? What's wrong?"

"I…love…you…so much…please…forgive me…if…I fail as your wife…"

Chakotay uttering something between a sob of relief and a sigh of exasperation rubbed her tear stained cheeks with his thumbs and slid the ring onto her finger, giving her one of the most loving and passionate kisses they had ever shared.

**A/n: So what do you think? Please send me any ideas you have for the wedding, honeymoon etc. I particularly need help with where to set the honeymoon. If I like an idea I'll put it in and credit you! Review as always please! I'll update soon.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chakotay was woken by a sudden knock at door. "Housekeeping." He lifted his head from where it had settled beside Seven's and tried to get out of bed to answer the door.

Seven wrapped herself tighter against him. "Chakotay…" she mumbled sleepily.

"There's someone at the door, I'll get it, just go back to sleep sweetheart." He whispered quietly kissing his new fiancée gently. She obediently let him go with a sigh and he stood up, threw on a robe and opened the door a crack. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry sir, I'll come back when you check out at midday." Said the hotel maid.

"What time is it now?" Chakotay had lost all track of time since the euphoria of the night before.

"1020. Breakfast finishes in ten minutes…wait you're the guy that proposed on the roof terrace last night aren't you?"

Chakotay averted his gaze sheepishly. "Yeah, I am."

"Do you want the room service menu then? Oh my God, I hope my boyfriend proposes to me like that…so romantic…"

Chakotay cut her off. "I think I'll take that room service menu now."

"Oh sure, just dial in what you want into the computer and we'll bring it up."

"Thanks." He said, taking the menu from her and closing the door, leaning his head against it as it closed to suppress a laugh. I'd better not tell Seven that the whole hotel is gossiping about us.

Seven propped herself up in bed. "What did that concern?"

Chakotay turned to her, "Oh just housekeeping to remind us of the check out time and offer us room service."

"Are we really that late? My sleeping schedule is out of sync."

Chakotay couldn't keep the happy smile off his face as he replied. "I think that tends to happen when you get engaged."

"I'm not complaining!" She retorted laughingly, reaching out to him to give him a prolonged kiss.

He eventually pulled back, though only because his stomach was growling, much to Seven's amusement. "Pancakes?" he suggested.

"Indulgent but acceptable."

After ordering breakfast he climbed back into bed, where she lay back into his arms with a sigh of contentment, admiring her new ring. "You have good taste."

Seeing his eyebrows rise, she realised she hadn't made her meaning clear. "In jewellery…not in women." She clarified, cringing visibly in embarrassment.

"I have _excellent_ taste in women." He told her gently, pulling her into him and kissing her neck and throat repeatedly until she relaxed enough to begin to respond.

"Room service!" called a man through the door.

Chakotay uttered a groan at being interrupted again as Seven drew back, smiling affectionately at his reaction. "You were the one who was hungry."

"I know…I know…" he muttered as he went to the door and came back with a tray carrying two stacks of pancakes and a jug of fresh orange. Laying it down at the foot of the bed he took a bite of his. "Not as good as yours." He told her as he passed her a plate.

"Isn't it unhygienic to eat in bed?" Seven asked with her trademark raised eyebrow, unsure of the appropriateness of this arrangement.

"When we leave they'll clean up." He saw her look down at her food without starting into as he was. "Anything wrong?"

Seven looked at the ring on her hand and then at him. "I am not looking forward to returning to San Francisco."

"I know, we've had a great time, but we'll be moving here in May…"

She swallowed, knowing she had to voice her fears. "I am…apprehensive as to our friends' reactions to our developing relationship."

"Oh Seven…" He put his arm round her shoulders, "don't worry about that okay? They're all going to be fine with it…better than fine, they get to go to a big wedding, and even if they weren't okay with it, all that matters is what we want."

"If you wish, we can just elope and they wouldn't attempt to discourage you…"

"My mind is made up and you know better than anyone that I'm stubborn." He cupped her chin in his hands. "I'm so proud of you and I want everyone to see that at our wedding and see you walking down the aisle in that beautiful dress I know you're going to get."

She put her head on his shoulder. "You are going to be an excellent husband for me. What do you want for our wedding?"

"Small I think just the crew and your Aunt Irene and maybe Reg Barclay."

Seven smiled in relief, not wanting to be bombarded with strangers on her wedding. "I concur. The venue?"

"Well Voyager's a museum now so not there and where my parents got married is a wreck now…"

"We will have to consider other possibilities. Don't you have to pick a best man?"

"Don't start that headache. What about your bridesmaids?"

"I have never required a maid, I am quite self sufficient."

Chakotay laughed at her bemused expression. "No, not a working maid. Your bridesmaids are female friends who wear a dress on the day and generally help you."

Seven thought about this, she couldn't think of anyone she knew who would be willing to do it. A cute idea came to her. "Naomi likes dresses, perhaps she would enjoy participation."

Chakotay was surprised but couldn't object, she was right Naomi would love that and she had after all played a role in getting them together. "That's that decided. Now what about a honeymoon?" He pushed his question by kissing her again, but her eyes were distant.

Seven swallowed hard, the idea of a honeymoon, bringing to front of her mind an issue which she had been avoiding for months. "Chakotay…you know that the possibility of my ever being able to have children is very minute don't you?"

Chakotay stared at her, shell shocked by the abrupt change in subject. "Where did _that_ come from?"

"The purpose of a honeymoon is to fall pregnant as soon after the marriage as possible."

"Originally maybe…are you afraid of what might happen?"

"I want you to be aware of what marriage to me would you deprive of…"

"You have never deprived me of anything!" he told her forcefully, turning her to face him. "I am marrying you for yourself alone. I'm happy whatever happens."

She looked up at him tearfully. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been surer of anything in my life!"

"I love you…"

"I know…you worry too much my love…"

**A/n: A whole week of waiting and you only get a short little filler, sorry! I had really bad writers block as you can tell from the quality…please review so I can feel better about myself.**


	19. Chapter 19

Seven looked herself apprehensively up and down in the mirror, even to herself she looked pale and nervous as she waited for the Voyager senior officers to arrive at the dinner where she and Chakotay would tell them of their engagement and imminent relocation. Despite Chakotay's many attempts to convince her otherwise, she still strongly felt that their reactions would leave much to be desired.

The sparkle of the ring on her human hand caught her eye as always and with a regretful sigh she twisted it around so that only the plain platinum band was visible if you looked at the back of her hand. She stood unmoving like this for several more minutes until Chakotay silently approached her and put his arms round her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Feeling her jump slightly at the touch, Chakotay felt concerned. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered in her ear.

Seven shifted a little to avoid the distracting ticklish sensation his breath always gave her skin but continued to tilt her head towards his as she responded. "Nothing of any true relevance."

The barely noticeable turn of her lips as she said this told Chakotay just to leave it. Moving on to another topic he said, "That huge meal you're making to butter them up smells great."

Seven stepped away from him, her eyes flashing. "I am _not_ buttering them up!"

Realising that he'd perhaps chosen to tease her at the wrong time, Chakotay began to backtrack. "I know you're not_ intending_ to but it will have that effect."

Seven backed against the wall with a shaky breath, feeling irritated that she had allowed herself to lash out, reaching for his hand she squeezed in a silent plea for forgiveness, he kissed her gently with an expression on his face that promised solidarity. The moment of privacy was shattered by the piercing trill of the doorbell which announced their dreaded arrivals. "Come in!" shouted Chakotay, before wrapping his arm round her again and saying in a low tone. "You look like you're about to face heavy artillery, brighten up a bit." Seven could not stretch her acting skills to false cheerfulness and could only assume her defensive expressionless mask as she mentally braced herself for what lay ahead.

Harry, Tom, B'Elanna and the Doctor came in with their normal sociable air, immediately engaging them in friendly chatter. Tuvok entered in his habitual stately manner, speaking only when he considered it logical and the Admiral gave them ordinary casual if superior smiles as her eyes scanned the apartment.

Chakotay took on the main burden of conversation as Seven laid out the meal, only after their guests were in an excellent mood following their delicious meal and settling down for dessert did Chakotay decide it was time to get to the point, holding Seven's hand and turning her engagement ring back around to warn her as he called for attention. "Now I'm sure you're all wondering why we went to Flagstaff…"

"Yeah why?" said Harry as he polished off his plate of Seven's black forest gateau.

"Well, we've been offered jobs there. I start as the Senior Ancient Cultures Anthropologist at the Federation Institute of Anthropology in May and Seven's been given a free rein at the Lowell Observatory."

B'Elanna reacted first. "Wait…you've been offered a post there, the place you told me yourself was the best in the quadrant during all those long boring Maquis stakeouts? Whoa, their standards have really dropped!"

Chakotay laughed in both indignation and relief. "Hey! I came highly recommended!"

"The Lowell Observatory is highly recommended by the Vulcan Science Ministry, it was a very logical step for them to include you Seven." Said Tuvok in a very Vulcan statement of congratulations which she accepted with a grateful smile.

"We're going to have to make your maintenance checks monthly rather than weekly if you move Seven. Are you all right with that?" asked the Doctor anxiously.

"I'm sure we will both adapt Doctor."

"Any other life changing news while we're all shocked?" asked Tom jokingly.

Chakotay smiled awkwardly. "Actually…" Everyone thought he was joking and laughed harder, but Chakotay kept going. "Seven and I are engaged."

The Admiral choked on the cocktail she was sipping. "As in going to get married engaged?"

"Yes…" Seven confirmed quietly, the first word she had spoken.

"Wow! Wait until we think the bombshell's over and then drop another one! This is great!" said Harry enthusiastically.

Chakotay broke the ice by telling an abridged version of the lead up to the proposal, leaving out the more intimate details like Seven's kiss at the Grand Canyon and the emotional conversation on the terrace. This left no one in any doubt as to the correctness of their friends' course as they clearly saw the pure undisguised love that they shared. Thus they shunned their misgivings and shocked the couple by immediately beginning to organise the wedding.

"Well I for one don't think you should have it in San Francisco…" said Tom.

"Why not?" said Harry, who had just finished expressing the opposite opinion.

"Why not? Have you totally forgotten the circus that was Miral's christening, all these Starfleet and Government suck ups inviting them themselves to get associated with the famous Voyager crew…"

"Yeah that was a nightmare!" said B'Elanna in agreement.

"A small wedding does seem more logical." Said Tuvok, unable to resist chiming in.

"Seven, if you want someone to walk you down the aisle, I'd be willing to…" began the Doctor hopefully.

Seven was rescued from that rather awkward situation by the Admiral, who in her well practised way could cut him off without offending him. "I don't think she'll have thought about that yet Doctor." As Seven shot her a grateful look she was relieved to see acceptance in her eyes.

Finally much to Seven and Chakotay's relief they all ran out of steam and left but they left Seven with a lingering anxiety. "Chakotay, is a wedding really that complicated?"

Chakotay couldn't lie to her. "I'm sorry to say that it is."

She sighed in resignation. "I suppose I should have expected this after all the complexities of Christmas."

"If you do half as well with the wedding as you did with Christmas it'll be the best wedding I've ever been to."

As a reward for that he got a sweet kiss. "All the same, perhaps I should get my aunt to assist me."

He smiled encouragingly, he loved that Seven was fond of her aunt. "She'd love that I'm sure!"

The next morning Seven followed through with her plan and called her aunt, who was ecstatic to say the least. "Oh Annika, I'm so happy for you, you know how much I like Chakotay."

"Yes, I know. Would it inconvenience you to help us plan the wedding?"

Irene was so touched that tears came to her eyes. "Really? Of course I will! When were you thinking of having it?"

"The beginning of April seems to be the most convenient period to consider."

"Good, good…that gives us almost fifteen months to prepare…"

"I think you misunderstand me Aunt Irene, I was referring to the beginning of April 2378 not 2379.

"_This April_? But Annika it's January now, that's less than three months! It's an impossible task!"

"We move to Flagstaff in May and would prefer to do it as a married couple." Stated Seven, undeterred.

"Oh Annika…well if you're so set on it you'd better come to Stockholm tomorrow and pick a dress! Bring some women to help you pick."

"Not Chakotay?"

"_No_! He can't pick the dress…look I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

Seven came off the phone feeling confused but began to research dresses anyway.

When Seven met her Aunt Irene in the shopping district of Stockholm the next day she brought a very excited Naomi and a reluctant B'Elanna, there at Chakotay's request to make sure Seven wasn't talked into anything by vendors.

Seven was shocked by the size and splendour of the first bridal shop, racks of unnecessarily luxurious dresses lined very wall. A friendly looking woman immediately approached them. "Which one of you is the lucky bride then?"

Seven shrank into herself at the overly friendly manner but B'Elanna intervened, pushing her forward. "This is Seven. She's getting married in April."

"Oh that soon! We'll need to get started."

Seven was feeling overwhelmed as she was led to a platform in front of a floor length mirror, searching around from Naomi she found her transfixed by a particular bridesmaids dress. It was beautiful, a strapless knee length made out of the palest sky blue satin with a flared skirt dramatised by a crinoline underskirt. The simple last touch which made it perfect was an ivory silk ribbon round the waist which tied in a large bow at the back. "Do you like that Naomi?" asked Seven.

"I _love_ it…"said Naomi in a dreamy tone.

Seven made a quick decision. "Then if you wish, you can wear it to my wedding."

Naomi whirled round to her. "Really? Oh thank you Seven!" she cried running to her and hugged her hard.

"Your colour scheme is going to be blue and ivory then?" asked the sales assistant.

"I will need to ask Chakotay…" Seven replied, taken aback.

"He'll do whatever you want Seven." B'Elanna assured her.

"You already know he likes blue Annika, your ring has aquamarines, you could wear your bracelet and necklace set and it would complement your eyes!" Irene enthused.

Seven allowed herself to be convinced and the sales assistant smiled. "So, ivory dresses then?"

"White is highly impractical for a floor length dress…" Seven started.

"It's traditional! You want everyone to think you're a virgin don't you?" said the woman laughingly.

Seven stared at her blankly. "But I'm not a…"

"It doesn't matter, dear." Said Irene, putting a stop to an awkward line of conversation.

They began to go through the motions of trying on and rejecting, a process Seven did not find very pleasant. She would have got the first one available but her companions were far more discerning. Finally just as Seven was becoming agitated after freeing herself from _another _ tight corset and disentangling her legs from _another_ expanse of tulle, she put one on which silenced everyone.

She herself gasped at her reflection as she looked in the mirror. It was probably one of the simplest dresses she'd had on all day, ivory satin with a slightly A line skirt which sat on her perfectly, a square neckline which flattered without appearing too severe and antique lace straps which went from her collarbone to the edge of her shoulder. It was the details which sold it though, the lace tie around the waist and the delicate pearls sown round the neckline and in a sweeping curve down the skirt.

"Oh Seven, you _have _to get that one!" gasped Naomi in total awe.

B'Elanna chuckled. "Chakotay's going to have a heart attack!"

"Perhaps I should let Chakotay see it…"

"_No!_" said everyone in the shop in unison.

"Why not?"

"It's bad luck Annika!"

"It would be worse luck if I wore it and he didn't like it."

"Not like it! I promise you he will! You look perfect!"

"Really?" They all nodded rigorously and with one more look at herself her mind was made up. "I'll take this one please."

**A/n: Well what do you think about my taste in wedding arrangements? How did I handle the crew's reaction to their engagement? I'm sorry to say it'll probably be Friday at the earliest for the wedding chapter because I'm going to London from Monday 12****th**** July to Thursday 15th. I'll probably update Lost and Found tomorrow if I have time because I left that on a cliff-hanger! Anyway back to this story, please review even if you don't like my taste!**


	20. Chapter 20

Seven and Chakotay's wedding was set for the 7th of April 2378. As the months leading up to it became weeks and then days the preparations became more frenzied, a photographer was booked the menu was set and the band was set up in the ballroom of the hotel in Flagstaff where they had got engaged and where their reception was being held. By the time the 6th of April came around both of them were longing to begin their secluded honeymoon in the Alaskan wilderness.

As the sun set Seven was sitting at phone having just finished a phone call with the builder of their new home. She looked out at the rapidly descending darkness and glanced down at her ring. By this time tomorrow I'll be married. She was jerked from her thoughts by Chakotay kissing her on the cheek. "Hey, who was on the phone?" he asked cheerfully.

"Mr Morton, he said the house would be ready by the 23rd."

"Great! Come back from the honeymoon and move into the new house on the same day."

"Yes, we will be kept busy."

"Just how we like it." He gently kissed her again. "Right, I'll make my way over to Tom and B'Elanna's"

"Are you doing something for them?"

"I'm staying over at their place tonight…" he saw her brow furrow, "…remember?"

"Why?" Seven asked completely perplexed.

"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

"Luck, luck, luck! Why do humans have so many superstitions surrounding weddings?" Seven cried out in exasperation.

Chakotay squeezed her shoulder and rubbed her face affectionately. "Look, it's just traditional…so that I really want to see you by the time I'm standing at that altar. Tolerate it for one more day, please?"

She rested her forehead on his shoulder. "If I do, assure me that you won't ask me to conform to these pointless customs again."

"We're only getting married once!"

She smiled softly at the teasing glint in his eye. "Remember you're booked in to transport to the station at 1330 hours."

"I'll get there early, I promise." They had decided to have their ceremony performed on the small Starfleet station which orbited Earth, their vows would be said looking out at the stars and down on Earth.

"Good." She murmured giving him the prolonged parting kiss which would have to last them until the next day. He picked up his bag and turned to leave. "Don't let Tom Paris play anymore…pranks on you."

He laughed jovially. "Don't worry; I had enough of that at the bachelor party."

"I'm glad I managed to convince everyone that I didn't want one of those…" She was stopped midsentence by Chakotay pulling her into a tight embrace and kissing her.

He gave her an intense gaze as he pulled back, though only slightly. "You know that I love you don't you?" he murmured with a soft seriousness.

She looked into his dark eyes intently. "Yes. I also love you."

He grinned widely. "Good, because we're getting married tomorrow sweetheart."

"I know." Her fingers tightened round his shirt.

He leaned his face into her neck. "God…that really is a stupid tradition." He whispered huskily. "I _could_ stay here…"

She pushed him away playfully. "Tolerate it for one more day." She mimicked with a smirk.

He laughed at that. "Okay, okay. I deserve that! I'll see you tomorrow."

The next day came quickly enough with Chakotay already standing at the top of the aisle next to the registrar and Tom, his best man, flanked by groomsmen Harry and Icheb, all like him in formal black tie, Irene had declared Starfleet uniform unflattering and Chakotay couldn't help but agree with her.

"Stop playing with your cufflinks, she'll come, she's not late yet!" hissed Tom into his ear.

"I know…I'm just nervous…" he replied in an agitated tone.

"Your concern is needless Chakotay." Icheb piped up, loudly enough for the whole guest list, crammed into the rows of white silk covered chairs, to hear him and start to giggle. Icheb looked mortified at this development but Chakotay just smiled at him, his nerves eased slightly.

Meanwhile Seven was in a side room getting her make up done for the third time that day. Surely she didn't have so many facial imperfections as to need so much put on her skin, but nerves had silenced her so she didn't make this logical point. The hairdresser approached her again holding the box containing her aquamarine and pearl necklace and bracelet set. "I'm going to put these on for you now and prefect your hair, okay?"

She started to speak but the make up artist interrupted her. "Don't speak; I'm putting on your lipstick." Seven then just nodded to the hairdresser who clipped on the bracelet before lifting her loose hair up and putting the necklace in place. The women then both left and Seven was left alone but only for a few seconds before Naomi, Irene and B'Elanna all entered.

"You look wonderful Annika." Irene said softly as Seven stood up.

"Have you got your something old, something new and something blue yet Seven?" asked Naomi.

"I do not know what you are referring to, Naomi Wildman."

"Just go along with it Seven." B'Elanna advised.

"Well her necklace is old…" said Irene thinking hard.

"This handkerchief is new!" exclaimed Naomi, pulling out a silk handkerchief that had come with her dress. She handed it to Seven. "In case you cry." She said earnestly, with an expression Seven couldn't refuse.

"Something blue…something blue…" muttered Irene in a dilemma.

"Oh here!" said B'Elanna, grabbing a piece of blue ribbon hanging from a bunch of flowers.

"And what am I supposed to do with this?" asked Seven sceptically.

"Round her ankle!" exclaimed Irene in triumph, tying the bit of ribbon just above her shoe before Seven could object.

Irene then smoothed the hem of the dress, checked that the line of buttons which hid the dress' elaborate corsetry were fastened, puffed out the lace bow at the back and straightened the lace straps. "There, perfect! I think you're ready to go now dear." B'Elanna ran out to tell the registrar and Irene handed Seven and Naomi their bouquets of flowers. "Now remember, both of you, walk slowly." With that she retreated back to her seat just as the bridal march filled the adjoining room.

Seven stood with Naomi to the side of the door. "I'll see you soon Seven." She whispered with a reassuring quality in her voice which went beyond her years. Seven swallowed as she saw Naomi disappear down the aisle.

Chakotay turned from contemplating the view out of the window as soon as the music began, his heart beginning to race as the lights dimmed until only the tall candles scattered around lit the room, showing the flower arrangements of white roses, forget-me-nots and white orchids pinned to the end of each row of chairs and the anticipation filled faces of his friends and colleagues.

He saw but barely concentrated on Naomi's descent down the aisle, looking resplendent in the blue dress she had chosen, each foot going carefully in front of the other, clutching a small bouquet of white roses, she sat down beside a smiling Admiral in the front row with an audible sigh of relief.

Chakotay finally snapped out of his stupor when everyone in the room rose to their feet and he saw Seven standing directly before him in the loveliest, most beautiful dress he had ever laid eyes on, holding a bouquet of white roses and orchids with a scattering of forget-me-nots through it which obscured her shaking hands. All that day up till that moment Seven had withdrawn into herself until her eyes focused on the beaming, immensely handsome man before her who was to be her husband, all her fears disappeared in that instant and everyone in the room saw her face light up with her rare but beautiful true smile.

Her walk down the aisle in reality only took a minute at the most but it felt like an eternity to both Chakotay and Seven. When she finally reached him she handed her flowers to a smiling Admiral and turned to face Chakotay who took her hands in his and caressed them softly with his fingers without taking his eyes off her face.

The registrar smiled at them, they really were a sweet couple. "Please be seated." Everyone sank into their seats as one and he continued, "We are here today to witness the marriage of Chakotay and Seven who are surrounded in their friends' love on this most important of days. Let's begin. The rings please." Harry stepped forward and gave the pair of simple gold bands to the registrar who in turn gave one to Chakotay and one to Seven. He turned to Chakotay and smiled encouragement. "Repeat after me. With this ring I Chakotay…"

Chakotay swallowed and positioned the ring so that it hovered at the tip of Seven's finger. "With this ring I Chakotay…"

"…do enter into the sacred union of marriage with you Seven…"

"…do enter into the sacred union of marriage with you Seven…" He felt a small smile pass across his lips as he said the words despite his nervousness.

"…and I promise to love and cherish you…"

"…and I promise to love and cherish you…"

"…honour and keep you…"

"…honour and keep you…"

"….in sickness and in health…"

"…in sickness and in health…"

"…in hardship and in happiness…"

"…in hardship and in happiness…"

"…for all the days of our lives until death parts us."

"…for all the days of our lives until death parts us." He allowed himself to really look at her as he slid the ring onto her finger.

The registrar then turned to Seven who started into her vows with a clear yet emotional voice before he could say anything.

"With this ring I Seven do enter into the sacred union of marriage with you Chakotay…" She had to swallow the emotions which suddenly sprang up within her. "…and I promise to love and cherish you, honour and keep you, in sickness and in heath, in hardship and in happiness for all the days of our lives…until death parts us." She then followed Chakotay's lead and slid the ring onto his finger.

The way she had gone about saying her vows was so affecting, so Seven, everyone found it touching, even the initially put out registrar was happy and just continued on. "You are now legally married within the laws of the United Federation of Planets." He smiled expectantly at Chakotay, "You may now kiss your bride."

The newlyweds didn't need to be told twice and kissed longer and more passionately than they had originally planned, sending the room into a chorus of wild cheering.

**A/n: Please, please review and tell me what you think! Don't worry; the reception will be in the next chapter.**


	21. Chapter 21

When they finally pulled out of the kiss everyone in the room gave one last cheer, but Seven and Chakotay were oblivious, openly beaming at each other. The registrar now stepped forward to corral the crowd. "Now, everyone who hasn't been chosen to sign the register or be in the bridal party photographs please make their way to the transporter room, where you will be beamed to the hotel and served cocktails."

The vast majority of the guests now began to file out, talking animatedly, only Voyager's former senior officers, Icheb, Naomi and Irene remained with Seven and Chakotay. The couple of course ignored these changes and remained standing, focused on each other. Chakotay took this opportunity to kiss his new wife again, murmuring "You look perfect, better than I ever imagined."

Seven affectionately stroked his face, "Thank you…for everything…"

"Hey lovebirds! There'll be plenty of time for that later! We're on a schedule here!" Tom called teasingly. Seven blushed brightly, still not entirely comfortable with public intimacy and stepped away from Chakotay, their crowded schedule now at the forefront of her mind. Chakotay instinctively closed the gap between them, firmly taking Seven's cybernetic hand and smiling at her flushed cheeks. Seven returned the smile with uncharacteristic ease, relaxing once more.

They slowly walked hand in hand to the registrar's desk and sat down, the photographer flashing away until both their eyes were dazzled. "Hey, can you back up a bit please?" Chakotay asked the photographer.

"I was told to get the signing of the register." Said the photographer with a shrug.

"We are yet to do that." Seven told him bluntly, turning to the registrar, who was explaining what to do.

"Now, we were flexible with the ceremony but I'll need you both to sign your full official names here and your witnesses below. Bride first please."

Seven picked up the pen and signed her human name, Annika Kerstin Hansen with an unpractised slowness before handing the pen to Chakotay who wrote his full official "Federation name" as it had always been known within his tribe, Amal Kotay. He almost laughed, "Seems a little impersonal doesn't it? Not many people would know this was us."

Seven nodded in agreement. "This does seem rather municipal, I'm glad we had the ceremony with our preferred designations."

"It's just standard procedure." The Admiral told them coldly as she signed as a witness, bristling at any criticism of her beloved Federation's regulations.

"Yeah it is, should we start calling you Amal now Chakotay?" Harry asked jokingly as he also signed.

Chakotay laughed, "I think only the Federation official signing me into Starfleet has ever called me that!"

"And we all know how well that went!" exclaimed B'Elanna.

"Excuse me, _I _didn't get kicked out!" he retorted.

"Seven, get your _husband_ to stop ganging up on me!"

" I could but I don't think that him having to obey me was in the vows."

"Wait and see!" B'Elanna replied getting snort from Tom.

"We're not going to have time to take photos if we don't go back now!" called Irene in warning.

They all obediently trooped out to the now empty transporter room, Seven and Chakotay stepping on hand in hand. "Maybe we should pin "Just Married" to the transporter?" Harry joked. Seven glanced questioningly at Chakotay and he whispered an explanation into her ear.

"I think we'll be fine, Harry. We'll see you down there." Said Chakotay, turning back to Seven as they beamed away.

Their photographs were being taken in the carefully cultivated gardens of the hotels, a splash of vibrant colour against the surrounding desert landscape. Despite her enjoyment of the day so far, Seven found the photographs an ordeal, she didn't like the structured poses and forced smiles the process asked for. Chakotay had just escaped from the groom's party photographs when he spotted Seven sitting on the edge of a decorative fountain and approached her. "Are you all right my love?" he asked her gently.

She flashed him a real but somewhat tired smile. "Yes, of course I am, we are married."

"I know, two hours now! Is the photographer irritating you?"

She gave him a wry look. "How did you guess?"

"I've just escaped from him myself. Let's go hide somewhere."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Hide? From our own wedding photographer?"

He shrugged, "We're paying him." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, "Quick, he's coming!" They ran in the opposite direction until they collided with a large overhanging tree, dripping with white blossoms. Seven couldn't run anymore from laughing and Chakotay pressed her against the trunk, kissing his wife as she giggled girlishly.

Seven put her hands on his chest and pulled back to look into face. Seeing his warm dark eyes sparkle mischievously she wrapped her free arm tightly round his neck. "I love you." She said simply before giving him a passionate kiss.

When their lips parted Chakotay returned her sentiment, "I love you too. I hope you still kiss me like that fifty years from now."

"I will. I might not be in the same dress through."

It was then, in that moment of laughter in each others arms, that a flash bulb went off in their faces. Seven got a fright and slid on the ground, Chakotay barely able to stop her falling on her back. The photographer eyed them with an expression of a man who had seen it all. "Are you alright Mrs Kotay?"

It took Seven several seconds as Chakotay righted her back into a standing position to realise that he was referring to her. "Yes…I'm fine, thank you."

"Everyone's seated at your reception. You've to go in now."

The couple nodded and he turned away from them laughing. Seven glanced at Chakotay. "Is Mrs Kotay my formal name now?"

"Yes…I suppose it is. Do you mind?"

"No, not at all." She gave him a confident happy smile and Chakotay felt pleased despite his former insistence that he didn't mind if she used his name or not.

"Come on then Mrs Kotay, our wedding guests are waiting for us."

They stood in front of the doors to the hall waiting to be announced. "Please give a big cheer for our newlyweds, Chakotay and Seven!" This was far from the discreet entrance they had desired but they went along with it, entering hand in hand to a chorus of cheers and sitting down side by side at the head table. Tom and B'Elanna, Admiral Janeway, Icheb, Tuvok and his wife, Harry and his new girlfriend, one of the long lusted after twins and the Doctor and his nurse girlfriend all sat around them at the table.

Before setting into the meal, speeches had to be endured. Tom went first, tapping on his wine glass for attention before standing up. "Now as the best man, I've been told I have to make a speech, everyone knows what a shy wallflower I am!" Laughter bubbled through the room. "I've thought long and hard about what to say. I could read out the list of past girlfriends of Chakotay's B'Elanna provided me with…but I'm not going to do that." Chakotay couldn't help but release a sigh of relief and Seven laughed good naturedly at his expression. "What I am going to say will surprise none of you. Everyone knows that neither Seven or Chakotay were originally very happy with the arrangement which caused her to be permanently billeted on Voyager, but over the next four years she became part of the fabric of the place." He turned to Seven smilingly. "You've come so far and I for one am proud of you."

"Here, Here!" called out the Admiral, causing clapping to ripple through the room, much to Seven's embarrassment.

"Now, speaking of Chakotay, I'm not so proud of him…I've had too much disciplinary action from him over the years to say that but I do have one thing to say…he's finally developed a good taste in women! On a more serious note through, I myself know that fate has a roll to play in these things…" He smiled lovingly at B'Elanna. "It waits until…people are ready to both see what's right in front of them and then…sparks fly and that's definitely what I believed happened with this pair. Thank you."

Tom sat back down and Harry stood up. "To Seven and Chakotay!"

"To Seven and Chakotay!" Everyone echoed in unison.

After that the meal passed quickly and the time for the first dance, the human tradition Seven had been most dreading. Chakotay knew this as he guided her on to the floor and looked into her anxious face. "Come on, I promise you you're _good_ at dancing. Just focus on me." He pulled her against him and as the lights dimmed Seven felt herself begin to relax, even whispering directions into his ear, much to his amusement. The dance floor opened up after that and the party really began with the guests really letting their hair down.

As the night progressed the couple became more desperate to be alone and the DJ finally announced they were retreating to their room. "Wait! What about the bouquet toss?" Someone shouted. Cries of agreement echoed throughout the room but Seven was bemused. "They want me to throw my flowers? Why?"

"Another tradition. Whoever catches them is going to get married next." Explained Irene.

"That is an irrational way to plan your life…" Seven began to object, but seeing the lunging crowd behind her sighed in resignation. "Which trajectory shall I follow?" she asked Chakotay.

He shrugged. "Straight behind you?" he suggested uneasily, he didn't want to have to explain the upcoming brawl to Seven.

His fears were unfounded, she threw the flowers and they landed indisputably in the hands of the Doctor's girlfriend. Everyone smiled at her while throwing the Doctor sympathetic glances. "Can I go be with my wife _alone_ now please?" Chakotay asked the crowd. They all roared their approval and the couple were guided out of the room.

As soon as the doors closed Seven leaned into his shoulder. "Do we have to go back in or do we really get to be alone now?"

He whirled her around and kissed her. "We _really_ get to be alone now." He reassured huskily.

"Let's go."

**A/n: It's cliché and I'm not happy with Tom's speech, this is worse than normal I know but I've not been feeling that great so forgive me. Please review to cheer me up! There's a lot of debate about Chakotay's name, I used the one he told Janeway during Workforce just so that Seven could be called Mrs (I'm so old fashioned!) **


	22. Chapter 22

They took the lift up to the penthouse honeymoon suite they had booked for night finding a butler outside the large double doors. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked politely.

Chakotay glanced at Seven and she shook her head. "No thank you. You may leave." He gave the man a tip and he nodded gratefully before discreetly taking his leave. Seven was astounded when she entered, the room was luxury itself, a huge four poster sat in the middle facing huge windows which framed panoramic views of Flagstaff. "I had forgotten how well appointed this room was." She remarked as she sat down at the dressing table and began to take her jewellery off.

"Yeah, we really went all out didn't we?" Chakotay said as he came up behind her and ran his hand up her back. "It was definitely worth it though."

"Yes it certainly was." She smiled, "I'm glad we're alone now." She murmured, hoping Chakotay would get her drift. He did and began fiddling with the buttons of her dress. "You like the dress don't you? I wanted you to see it…"

Chakotay gasped, "No! It's bad luck!"

Seven sighed. "I know. That's what everyone else said."

Hearing the exasperation in her voice he pressed his face into her shoulder, kissing it repeatedly. "I love it…I can't imagine a better dress…" He groaned in frustration as another button wouldn't give way to his twisting and pulling. "I wish it was a little quicker and easier to take off though."

"It took me an hour to put on this morning."

"_An hour_?" he gasped in horror.

She turned round on the stool to face him and began to carefully remove his tie, folding it up before starting to unbutton his shirt. "Don't worry, we have all night." She reassured him as she began to kiss his chest.

He wrapped his arms round her back and pulled her tighter against him, all the while continuing to try to undo the dress. "You married an impatient man…"

"That does not seem a flaw at this particular moment in time…"

"No it doesn't…" He paused and gave a moan of triumph as the dress parted under his hands. "Finally!"

"Stop talking." She ordered, kissing him on the mouth. She gasped in shock as he lifted her up into the air. "What are you doing?"

"I thought we had stopped talking." He teased as he whirled her around in his arms.

"You'll injure your back…" she began fretfully.

"Not tonight I won't." he told her confidently as he lowered her onto the bed.

The next morning Chakotay was woken by a rustling sound at the foot of the bed, blinking his eyes open to find Seven opening suitcases. "Seven, what are you doing?"

"Preparing for our honeymoon."

"Seven, it's the morning after our wedding! We don't leave until this afternoon…"

"It is 1230 hours; we are now in the afternoon."

"We can delay it…just come back to bed…"

"If we do that we will not reach the cabin until early evening."

"It doesn't matter…"

Seeing the frustration growing on her husband's features, Seven left what she was doing and climbed onto him, giving him a deep kiss. "You'll say anything won't you?"

"Yes…yes I will." He admitted with a laugh, returning her kiss.

In the event they didn't leave the hotel until after three to take the transporter up to Alaska, arriving in Kodiak several hours later than they had originally planned. They walked out of the transporter bay, Chakotay laden with two large suitcases and Seven carrying the third and her portable regeneration unit. Seven scanned the empty street uneasily. "Where is our vehicle of transportation?"

"Over there." He replied, pointing with his finger. Her eyes followed his direction and she couldn't help gaping in shock. "_That_ is how we're travelling?"

Chakotay began lifting their luggage into the back of the somewhat battered pick up truck, going back for Seven's bags before fully registering the shock on her face. "It's perfectly safe Seven and unavoidable, it's the only way to navigate the roads out here. The cabin is a ninety minute drive from here in good weather so I suggest you stock up on groceries before we leave. The replicator in the cabin is temperamental." All she could do was nod silently and head into the shop, her head reeling as she wondered what lay in store for her.

When she returned and loaded the pick up with her purchases she joined Chakotay in the cab. "Belt up please." He ordered.

Seven did as he asked but couldn't help saying, "This antiquated piece of safety equipment would not fully protect us if you were to crash."

He shot her a look, "You trust me to fly a shuttle but not to drive a truck?"

"I trust you, it is the vehicle I don't trust." She replied. His only response was a laugh as he started the engine.

After an uneventful hour on the highway, Chakotay took a turn towards the forest and the road deteriorated into a dirt track as the trees closed in on them, shutting out most of the light as potholes made the couple continually rattle in their seats. Seven was beginning to regret not choosing the Caribbean cruise after half an hour of this but just then Chakotay turned again and the trees parted to reveal a log cabin charmingly placed in a gap in the trees, sunlight flooded the entire area and spring flowers bloomed all around. Seven immediately felt bad about her prior feelings as she escaped the truck, inhaling the fresh air and relishing the peacefulness. Chakotay beamed at her reaction and opened the door of the cabin, taking the luggage inside. Seven followed him in and took in the house that was to be her home for the next fortnight. She walked from room to room, observing the Native American objects dotted around and the family photographs in every room. "A piano!" she cried in delight when she saw it, tracing her fingers over the keys.

Chakotay smiled thoughtfully, "My mother's hobby. She was always trying to get me to learn but I was unwilling and had no talent whatsoever. She'd laugh knowing I've married such an accomplished pianist."

Seven looked at the photograph sitting on top of the piano, it showed Chakotay, aged around nine or ten sitting between his parents, laughing about something lost to history. "You and your parents came here frequently during your childhood?"

"Yeah, every year around my mother's birthday. I inherited this place from her; I didn't keep up the tradition through…"

Pain filled his dark eyes and she touched his arm soothingly, "We can, if you wish…"

"I'd like that…" he gave her an affectionate kiss, glad of the comfort she offered him.

Seven decided to change the subject. "What would you like for dinner?"

"Something simple, we've been having huge meals recently."

After a light but delicious meal of tomato and basil risotto, they sat quietly in each other's company until Chakotay had an idea. "Come on a walk with me, I have something to show you."

Seven looked up from the book she was reading, "What is it?"

"That's a surprise."

They walked hand in hand through the trees until Chakotay knew he was approaching what he was looking for. "Close your eyes." He whispered in her ear.

She sighed and closed her eyes but not before Chakotay heard her mutter "Humans!" in a teasing tone.

He guided her to the perfect position. "Open them!"

Seven was mesmerised and stood in silence for several seconds just gazing at what was before them. They were standing at the edge of a stunning waterfall, fast flowing with snow melt from the majestic mountains looming above. "It's beautiful…" she whispered in total awe.

"I know, I had forgotten how beautiful, you should see it when it's frozen…"

Seven sat down on the grass, tucking her knees up to her chest, Chakotay following and putting an arm around her shoulder, she rested her head on his and they sat in contemplative silence until Seven asked, "When was your mother's birthday?"

"The 5th of November, 5th of November 2288…my God, she would have been ninety this year."

"You were a late baby." Seven commented.

"Yeah, she was approaching her forty first birthday when I was born. I was a miracle she always said, she had lost her first husband five years before…she actually met Father at his funeral, from what I gather they hated each other at first…but then they fell in love and she followed him from here to my home world."

"That was a big change for her to make." Seven said in admiration.

"She always said it was a big leap of faith, she always brought us back here at some point though. When she died…I never wanted to come back but Father dragged me back here one more time, I hated it, it was no different from home I wanted access to civilisation for once. My father never brought me back and never took me home either, pulled me from planet to planet in search of more of our people, eventually I got so fed up as soon as I turned eighteen I ran off and joined Starfleet. Then the Cardassians invaded my world, Father was killed, I've never felt so angry…that's why I joined the Maquis…" He laughed bitterly. "I don't regret doing it, even though revenge didn't help…"

Seven stopped him, cupping her hands around his face. "I am glad you did, we would have never met otherwise. I am _certain_ your parents would be proud of you…" He stopped her by kissing her lovingly over and over until they were lying on the ground. Seven pulled back breathlessly sensing what he wanted. "We can't…we're out in the open…"

"There's not a soul within twenty kilometres of either side of here." He pointed out.

"True…" she murmured as she allowed him to kiss her again.

**A/n: Please review! I hope it wasn't tastelessly smutty but this is a wedding night/honeymoon chapter and this is rated T.**


	23. Chapter 23

Seven and Chakotay returned from Alaska on the 21st of April, ready to pack up their apartment for moving into their new house in Flagstaff on the 23rd. As Chakotay sat down the suitcases, Seven went to the phone to see if they had any messages. The Doctor's face suddenly appeared on the screen. "Hello Seven, I hope you both had a good time in Alaska. I'm just calling to tell you that I've taken Danielle to Jamaica and won't be back at work until Monday 27th. I'll schedule your maintenance for 1400 hours that day. Okay, see you then. Bye."

"Was that the Doctor?" asked Chakotay as he came into their bedroom from the living room.

"Yes, he left a message saying that he's taken Danielle to Jamaica and I won't have my maintenance until Monday. There's a message for you from your new boss, I'll go and make dinner." She left him at the phone and went to the kitchen. The phone call took longer than she had expected and their meal was on the table before he finally joined her. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern as he sat at the table looking irritated.

"They've asked me to attend a weekend conference on Vulcan…"

"That would be interesting. When?"

"It starts on Friday."

"_This _Friday?"

"I know, it's too soon, I'll say no…"

"I didn't say that. If it's vital to your work you must go. We will just have to move _everything_ on Thursday."

"You don't mind? I won't be back until Monday…"

"I will be fine." She reassured him. "I arranged for Aunt Irene to come and see the house on Sunday so I won't be completely alone."

"Okay…that's settled then, I'm going. I have to write a speech though…everyone knows Vulcans are a hard crowd…" He stopped mid sentence when he realised how pale Seven's face had gone. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You've barely eaten a thing."

Now that she thought about it Seven did feel a bit off, with a nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach and a strange sluggishness to her limbs. Despite this self acknowledgement she smiled off Chakotay's concern. "I'm fine, although perhaps a little tired. I'll help you write the speech."

"Thanks but are you sure you don't need the Doctor?" he asked not entirely convinced.

"I am sure; I participated in too many late nights during our honeymoon that's all." Since this was a plausible explanation Chakotay let the matter drop and they began to prepare his speech.

Distorted piano music filled her brain as her eyelashes fluttered open. She tried to call out for Chakotay but her voice was soundless. Familiar green light let her eyes adjust and she realised her alcove was not in the bedroom of their new home but in a cube. Her legs attempted to step out but faceless drones crowded into her and held her immobile, yet she could not hear their thoughts, she was cut off from them. Then two distinct unmistakable voices entered her brain, her parents. Their voices became unbearably loud as they approached her, mere cybernetic shells of their former selves. They stood before her, forcing one thought to echo around her brain. "We are the same. _We are the same. WE ARE THE SAME_!"

The drone that had once been her mother stepped forward and injected nanoprobes into her abdomen. "_No_!" she screamed wildly.

She was still screaming as Chakotay shook her awake, as soon as her eyes registered him she fell shaking into his arms and he held her close. He brushed the damp hair out of her face as he tilted her face up into his. "What happened? That flashback again? You haven't had that in months…"

"No…" There was no way _that_ could be a flashback. "…a nightmare…"

"A nightmare? Do you want to talk about it?" he murmured, deeply concerned.

"No…" She had told him about her flashbacks and nightmares before but for some reason she couldn't bring herself to tell him the details of this one. She struggled to pull herself together, gently pushing back from his embrace. "You must go to your conference."

He looked into her dim teary eyes. "That doesn't matter right now…"

She sniffed and dried her eyes with the back of her hand. "Yes it does." Seeing him about hold her again, she stiffened her back, "You will be late for your transport." She told him more firmly.

He stepped back, "Okay…" he said quietly, trying to hide his anxiety and hurt at her shutting him out, but she saw it and kissed him lightly.

"I will be fine. Promise you'll call me to tell me how your speech went."

He smiled but by observing her knew the nightmare must have been bad, deciding to let her be, they had a quiet breakfast and then he left for his transport.

Seven spent the rest of the day completing the unpacking, making the house they had moved into the day before more familiar. It was much larger than their apartment, being detached with an open plan three bedroom layout spread over two floors. She loved the modern design, bright rooms and large garden but it felt empty with just her rattling around inside. As the evening drew to a close she lifted the last box upstairs, suddenly she felt unbalanced and almost fell, her vision blurry and her ears ringing. I just haven't eaten enough nutrition today, she told herself although that had been by choice, she hadn't had an appetite all day. Deciding to force something down she went to the replicator and slowly picked at a bread roll, but within half an hour she had vomited it all back up.

She was jerked violently back into wakefulness, coated in a fresh layer of sweat as she escaped from the dream once more. 0200 hours, she should try to regenerate more. Stepping back in she spoke to the computer, "Computer, begin regeneration cycle."

"Unable to comply."

Fear made her snap at the computer. "Begin regeneration cycle!"

"Unable to comply."

A hysterical sob rose in her throat as she stepped out and sank to the floor. It couldn't be happening again…the only time she had ever been left unable to regenerate was when her cortical node was failing. Was she really dying?

Throughout the day she became more and more convinced until all hope had drained from her soul. Saturday evening arrived and Chakotay's promised phone call came. She kept the conversation cheery and was sure she was hiding her inner turmoil from him, but he could tell something was up and came away from the conversation full of unease.

After another night of sleeplessness and sickness, Seven had another ordeal to suffer, her Aunt Irene's visit. Irene loved the house so it was two full hours before they settled down to their planned task of making strawberry tart. Irene couldn't help observing her niece who had been acting strange all day. Even chopping strawberries, normally Seven's favourite food made her feel nauseous and Irene saw her go pale. "Are you alright Annika dear?" she asked in concern.

"Yes!" Seven snapped before collecting herself. "I just haven't been sleeping well…"

"You're not pregnant are you?" asked Irene, a new suspicion entering her mind.

Seven felt like crying, "No…that is most likely impossible."

This was new information to Irene and she felt guilty, putting her hand on her niece's slim shoulder. "I'm sorry…but if you feel ill you should go to the Doctor and get checked out."

"I…have an appointment tomorrow…"

"Promise me you'll go." Seven weakly nodded her head in acquiescence.

Monday morning dawned with Seven feeling worse than ever, she couldn't tolerate it any longer and turned up at the Doctor's office first thing, unable to wait for her appointment. The Doctor was shocked to see her, white faced and shivering. "Seven? What are you doing here? Your appointment is not until this afternoon…"

"I…think…my cortical node is…failing…" she choked out through gritted teeth.

"_What_?" Fear filled his features. He grabbed a tricorder and guided her to a biobed. "Where's Chakotay?"

"At a conference…"

"I can assume he doesn't know about this, correct?" She nodded mutely as he ran the scan over her.

"Seven, what made you think your cortical node was failing?"

"I…couldn't regenerate…or hold down nutrients…"

"Ah…" He came round to face her. "Well, the good news is your cortical node is fully functional…" Seven exhaled and had to hold on to the edge of the biobed to stop herself from fainting, but was unable to completely relax as she saw that the fear and anxiety remained etched on the Doctor's features. "You're pregnant…"

Seven's breath caught in her throat. "That…that's impossible…"

"Oh it's possible, a certainty actually…this scan tells me you'll be three weeks along on Wednesday." He looked into her disturbingly blank eyes. "Now, Seven I think we can both agree this is better than your cortical node failing…"

"Yes…"

"But you now better than anyone that cybernetics and pregnancy don't mix, you're not the first woman to fall pregnant on your honeymoon and you won't be the last…we're just going to have to deal with it and look at the dangers…"

"Why can't I regenerate?" She asked in a somewhat hollow tone.

"It could just be hormonal changes…Look I'll pull an all-nighter and see what I can figure out. You and Chakotay come here first thing in the morning." He pulled out a small device and handed it to her. "An emergency medical beacon, if you have any cramp or bleeding activate it and it'll bring you straight here. Now go home and rest, understood?" Seven just nodded and left, her hand clamped around the beacon, her mind in shock.

Later she wouldn't remember how she returned home, she just found herself lying on her bed crying as if she was looking down on herself. Why did she feel this way, so irrationally anxious and petrified? She knew half the reason, memories of pregnant women being assimilated, their unborn children killed in that instant, visions of that horrible dream, whirled around her dazed brain like a hurricane. Why had this happened now? She thought angrily, before self hatred sunk in at her own hypocrisy for she had always worried about not being able to give Chakotay children, but now that the impossible had happened she wanted it taken away. Just then the voice she feared intensely at that moment echoed round the house. "Seven, I'm home! Where are you?"

**A/n: To be continued of course! Please review!**


	24. Chapter 24

As soon as the sound of his voice hit her ears Seven sprang up from the bed, her only reward for her speed a wave of dizziness. Leaning on the wall to steady herself she quickly dried her eyes and descended the stairs to meet Chakotay. He smiled up at her as she came down, "There you are! Have you been busy?" She stepped down into his warm embrace and he held her tight. "I've missed you…"

"As I have you…" she mumbled almost inaudibly as he leaned in to kiss her. Chakotay felt his initial happiness disperse as his heart told him something was wrong, Seven wasn't acting like herself, shifting out of his grasp, not looking him in face or even asking him about the conference.

Seven moved away from him in guilty relief but she could see from his expression that he knew something was abnormal. Trying desperately to seem untroubled she said, "Do…do you mind if we have a replicated meal tonight?" She was disturbed by how shaky and weak her voice sounded, but her hyperactive senses and churning stomach just couldn't face cooking.

Chakotay was caught off guard; he hadn't eaten a replicated meal at home for months. "Yeah sure, that's fine." He tried to fight his growing unease with rationalisation, she's just tried, and I'm getting too used to her spoiling me.

They sat down and began their meal in an uncomfortable silence. Chakotay ate little but noticed that Seven's plate lay untouched and only occasionally did she take a sip of water. Seven's dazed brain eventually realised that she should try and make conversion after so long of not seeing him. "How was the conference?" she asked in a strained high pitched tone.

"Fine." For a moment his mind drew a blank and he could think of nothing more to say. "The speech went well, like I told you on Saturday and the next day one man said the section on the Ventu was so immersive he thought I had help from a Vulcan and I said "That's high praise for my wife's skills, I'll tell her you said that." Chakotay looked across at Seven expecting a response but getting none, and then as if she felt his eyes on her she nodded slowly. Chakotay felt the knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach, if there was one quality Seven could normally be credited with it was attentiveness, but right now she looked a million miles away.

Desperate for her dreaded task to be delayed Seven cleared the table and began to hand wash the dishes at the sink if only to occupy her shaking hands. Chakotay sat watching her, wracking his brains as to what could have happened. "Has something happened at work?" he asked as gently as he could. She continued scrubbing as if she hadn't heard him and he tried again. "Did the Doctor find something amiss during your medical?" She didn't reply but instantly tensed and scrubbed the dishes harder. So that was it. Well he would need to get it out of one of them because if there was one thing that made him uptight it was Seven's health. He had never admitted this to her but it was only since they had become involved that he had realised how fragile Seven's outwardly robust health really was, one malfunction in those forever to be damned implants could kill her without warning and this scared the hell out of him. Finally his self control began to give way, "We have a dishwasher you know!" he told her sharply as she continued to ignore him. Still the silent treatment, Good God, it's like the argument in Astrometrics all over again. This thought made him jump out of his chair with a suddenness that made Seven jump. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong or not?"

Seven head dipped low but she said nothing and his anger made him come up behind her and take her arm. She swallowed hard at his touch and glanced down at the shine of her still new wedding ring, setting down the plate she was holding with a shuddering sigh. "Well?" Chakotay asked apprehensively.

Seven tried to form those life altering words but was unable to; it was as if the speech controlling part of her brain had ceased to function. She just stood there lifeless. Feeling his anger and anxiety go up another notch and he twisted her round to face him, but she turned her head away. "Seven, I want you to tell me what the Doctor told you, right now." He told her forcefully.

Seven couldn't meet his eyes, "I cannot…" she whispered.

A paralysing fear now froze the rational sections of Chakotay's brain before emotion took over. "I'm your husband! I _deserve_ to know what's wrong with you!"

Wrong? Despite being very confused about how she felt about the situation it still hurt Seven to hear those words come from his mouth. Tears sprang to her eyes and the information came with them. "I'm pregnant with our child!"

Chakotay wasn't aware that his mouth dropped open and that he let go of Seven's arm allowing her to flee the room, his shock was too intense to register any of that. As shock released its icy fingers from around him thoughts flooded his brain. How had this happened? Well, he knew how but… It wasn't as if he didn't want children, quite the opposite in fact but he had always known that the Borg had stolen that possibility from Seven and that knowledge had never really affected their relationship for he had always loved and wanted Seven for her alone. Besides, surely he was getting too old for that sort of thing; he'd be fifty years old next March for God's sake. Despite these muddled thoughts a happiness of a sort he'd never known before began to filter into his soul and he came back to reality to find that Seven was no longer in the room. "Seven?" he called, receiving no answer. He walked to the threshold of the door into the living room and saw her sitting on the couch, for that was as far as she'd been able to go before her legs gave out. "Are…are we really going to have a baby?" The question was out of his mouth before he realised how redundant it was and he cursed his own stupidity. It seemed to go over Seven's head though for she sat looking at the wall instead of him.

He went to her without thinking, kneeling down on the floor and taking her hands, grasping for words that could convey what he was feeling. "You were afraid to tell me weren't you?" Her head drooped in confirmation. This hurt him but he kept going. "Look, I'm not going to deny that it was a shock…but that doesn't change the fact that it's _wonderful_…" he was surprised at the depth of the emotion in his own voice. He brushed her pale cheek affectionately with his fingers. "I know that this is daunting and as scary as hell…" he swallowed heavily, "…but we have months to prepare…everything's going to be fine…"

Seven choked back sobs, "No, it's not! The…the…baby…is…going to die…"

"The Doctor said that?" Chakotay couldn't believe he would just say that outright.

"No…but…"

"Then what makes you think our baby's going to die, my love?"

"I am Borg! You haven't seen as I have what assimilation does to pregnant women and babies, they die excruciatingly slow deaths, like the little girl we rescued from Icheb's cube…"

"This is different!" Chakotay cried in desperation, "The Doctor will give you the best medical care possible…"

These soothing words did not sink in with Seven however, who after days of stress with no sleep or regeneration was at the end of her tether. "The nanoprobes with cause miscarriage or stillbirth…the regeneration may cause brain damage…if I'm going to kill our child before it's even born I'd rather not get pregnant at all!"

This tear soaked near rant broke Chakotay's heart and he grabbed her shoulders. "_Listen_ to me, even if we do…lose it, no one's _ever_ going to blame you…"

"But I will!"

"Seven, we shouldn't be having this conversation, for all we know we might have a perfectly healthy baby in…" He realised then he hadn't even asked her how far along she was.

"Thirty seven weeks and two days." Seven helpfully supplied. Wow that makes it all feel a lot more real, thought Chakotay.

"How are feeling right now?" Seven shot him a look through her tears and he almost laughed, "Physically I mean?"

"I haven't slept or regenerated since you left and I have been unable to take nutrients because of the vomiting."

"Morning sickness already? Why haven't you regenerated?"

"I could not…I thought I was dying because it was the same symptoms I felt when my cortical node was failing…"

"Seven! You thought you were_ dying_ and you didn't call me and tell me to come home?" Chakotay practically shouted.

Seven began to shake again, "I was afraid…" Chakotay pulled her into his arms and held her like that for several minutes before she spoke again. "The Doctor has asked for us both to come to his office tomorrow morning…will you come?"

"No one could keep me away." In response she buried her head in his shoulder and didn't even protest when he lifted her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to their room, laying her exhausted body down on the bed and lying down beside her, wrapping his arms around her as she gradually relaxed and sleep finally claimed her.

Chakotay found he couldn't join her in the oblivion of sleep, his mind was wide awake as he took time to process what had happened. He scanned her slim body seeing no difference even though he knew there was and laid his hand on her still flat abdomen, he tried to picture the new life in there but couldn't. As sleep began to creep over him a dim image of Seven holding a baby swam happily round his brain and he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**A/n: Please review because I'm very nervous about this chapter. I hope you're not disappointed!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chakotay rolled over in bed the next morning and found that Seven was no longer beside him. Drowsily he glanced over at her alcove but it also stood empty, a strange sound hit his ears and he rose out of bed and went to the en suite where he saw Seven hunched over and throwing up. "Seven, are you alright?" He realised that he probably deserved to be angrily told the obvious after such a stupid question but he got no response which worried him more. When the sickness finally abated Seven tried to rise and shake off the weakness, embarrassed at being seen in such a state but she was soon glad of his presence as he stopped her from falling during a dizzy spell, his strong arms wrapping tight round her waist. She grabbed the edge of the sink and allowed her forehead to rest against the mirror's cool glass. Chakotay relaxed his grip only slightly, "Are you alright to be alone?"

"Yes…I'll have a shower and then I'll be fine."

"Okay, I'll go downstairs and call work, tell them I won't be in…" Seven couldn't stop a shudder travelling up her body at the thought of what the Doctor was going to advise them. Looking at Chakotay in the mirror she could see her own anxiety reflected in his handsome yet weary face. He touched her arm, "You just shout if you need me, okay?" His concern for her seemed to emanate from every word and touch and she turned in his arms to face him.

"I will be fine." She told him with a conviction she didn't feel, part of her just wanted to cry in his arms, but as she saw his face relax she knew she would have to be strong for him…and their baby.

Seven descended the stairs, feeling slightly better physically after an inefficiently long hot shower and fresh clothing. She was surprised to see Chakotay preparing a breakfast of sorts. He smiled softly at her, pleased that she was looking a little better and indicated for her to sit down. She did and he pressed a hot steaming cup into her hands. "What is it?" she asked.

"Peppermint tea, supposedly good at easing nausea." Seven smiled at his thoughtfulness and gratefully sipped the liquid. "Now what would you like to eat? Cereal, fresh fruit, milk? Milk's meant to be good for babies…" Seven was surprised to feel herself laugh at him softly, if this was what he was like with her now what was he going to be like with the baby? Chakotay turned at the welcome sound and began to laugh himself as he saw her highly raised eyebrows. He's going to be an excellent father, Seven decided, happiness about the baby beginning to escape past the oppressive worry.

Soon enough though their reprieve from their anxieties ended as they entered the Doctor's office hand in hand. Before telling them anything he ran a tricorder scan over Seven. Only when that was complete did he speak to them. "Still on track at the moment, three weeks tomorrow."

Chakotay tried to make that calculation in his head but couldn't. "When's the baby due Doctor?"

The Doctor thought for a second. "Around January 6th I'd say, it's not an exact science."

Seven couldn't bear this talk of due dates when she still so truly feared for the baby's life. "What level of danger is the child in Doctor?"

"You're _both_ in danger." Chakotay winced and looked away for a moment to calm himself. "This isn't going to be plain sailing, there's a very high risk of infant…and maternal mortality." He paused, observing the couple's shocked white faces, dreading saying what had to be said. "Are you certain you want to go ahead with this?"

"_Yes_!" cried Seven in passionate anger.

Chakotay remained silent and tight lipped for a moment, the words "maternal mortality" had brought home to him what he could stand to lose as well as gain. "Seven, please consider the options…"

"There are no other options!" she stared resolutely at the two frightened men at her side, "Not for me." She whispered, a new determination to follow this through to the end filling her being.

Chakotay took strength from her determination and took her hand, feeling guilty that he had wavered for a moment in his support. "What can you do to help us Doctor?"

The Doctor felt relief course through him, he hadn't wanted to perform an abortion, even though all the possible heart breaking outcomes whirled through his brain. "I'll do all I can, I've been considering the problems and it seems as if you're going to have to become a medical pioneer once again Seven…"

"As is always the case." She murmured dryly in reply.

He decided to ignore that and began to explain his research. "Now, I strongly believe that the biggest risk to the pregnancy is nanoprobe contamination…assimilation before birth." Seven leaned into Chakotay's arm which went round her comfortingly at these words. The Doctor pulled out a vial of some sort of drug. "I tested this new drug I created to slow down the assimilation process last night on some of your nanoprobes and it worked, if you would be willing to try it…"

Seven took the vial in her hand with interest. "It will stop the nanoprobes transferring to the baby with my bloodstream?"

"No, but it will weaken them enough to hopefully be harmless to the baby."

"_Hopefully_?" Chakotay echoed worriedly.

"Unfortunately it's all theoretical; no former drone has ever gotten pregnant before."

Seven straightened her back in preparation. "Give me an injection now."

The Doctor didn't need to ask if she was sure and prepared the injection. "This is going to be pretty painful and it will weaken you, your implants will become inefficient and less stable." He warned her.

"I will tolerate it." She stated. He gave her the injection and she felt the effects almost immediately, unable to suppress a groan of pain as shocks ran up her implants. Chakotay held her close until it had mostly subsided and the Doctor seemed pleased, telling her to inject it twice a day morning and night.

The next subject tackled was regeneration which the Doctor said was more vital than ever, giving Seven the modifications to be made to her alcove to compensate for her hormonal changes. After they had discussed everything they possibly could at such an early uncertain stage, Seven and Chakotay turned to go and it was only now that the Doctor gave them his heartfelt support with one word, "Congratulations."

The weeks ticked slowly by for both Seven and Chakotay, their anxiety only mounting with every passing day. Seven dutifully injected the drug, the Doctor increasing the dose at every weekly check up. Chakotay tried not to fuss over her, even though her weakened implants and the added burden of unrelenting morning sickness made it seem as if she was deteriorating before his eyes. They had told no one other than the Doctor of their situation, hiding it from even their closest friends from Voyager.

A crack in the wall of secrecy appeared when Seven was just reaching midway through the seventh week. Icheb had come to stay with them and they were all pleased to see each other. Despite this by the last day before he returned to Starfleet Academy Icheb knew there was something very wrong. Seven looked very depleted and he began to fear that she was hiding ill heath from him as she had when her cortical node was failing. Finally on that last evening he returned back to the house determined to confront Seven, his resentment and fear having been built up to boiling point, but he found the house silent. "Seven?" he called, but got no response. He searched through the house before finally hearing something in Chakotay and Seven's room. He had never ventured in here, believing it private but now he entered, seeing Seven suffering another bout of morning sickness. "Seven?" he choked, fearing the worst.

Seven stood up shakily, guilt filling her as she looked into his frightened eyes. "Icheb…" she stared.

"What has happened? Are…are you dying?"

Seven went up to him, knowing she had to break her silence. "No…I'm pregnant…this is a normal symptom for humans…"

The mixture of shock and relief which came over Icheb at this moment and he stared at her. Seven began to feel nervous. "Please do not inform anyone…the child may yet die…"

Understanding washed over Icheb. "Do not worry. Seven, your child is a lucky one. I know from personal experience that you will excel as a mother."

Seven was deeply touched and smiled affectionately at him. As they walked downstairs together now perfectly calm, Seven felt relieved that she had shared her burden.

Almost five more weeks passed before the subject of informing everyone came up again. The first anniversary of Voyager's return came and went without the anticipated party, for Admiral Janeway didn't return from a summit until the end of June and the party was rescheduled for the first weekend in July. It was now the Wednesday before, the day Seven finally got to the twelve week point where the Doctor had said the pregnancy would be considered safe and Seven was dressing for going to her scan. She put on a smart blouse and looked at herself in the mirror, shocked that it both felt and looked tight on her. She removed it again, putting her hand to her abdomen, she wasn't showing yet but her stomach now felt firm to her touch. Must be a big baby, she thought as she put on a more forgiving top. Chakotay watched this slightly amused, "You won't be able to hide it forever, within a couple of weeks now you'll start to show. We should tell everyone at the party." He was longing to share his excitement and joy with everyone and didn't fully understand Seven's reluctance.

Seven stared into the mirror avoiding his gaze, if she was truthful to herself she didn't want anyone to know until it was truly certain and she wouldn't be certain until she had a healthy newborn in her arms. She envisioned presenting a clueless crew with a baby and almost smiled before tension rose in her again. "We'll see what the Doctor says." That would just have to satisfy him for now.

Seven lay apprehensively on a biobed with Chakotay at her head as the Doctor scanned her. Suddenly his face tensed. "I'll have to double the dose."

"Why? What's wrong?" asked Seven fretfully. The Doctor didn't reply and got out the heartbeat monitor. Both expectant parents gave a sigh of relief as the reassuring sound entered their ears.

"That confirms it." Said the Doctor.

He didn't sound unhappy, just stunned and Seven listened for a few moments. "There's two heartbeats." She breathed.

Chakotay didn't catch on at first. "Well of course there is yours and the baby's…" He looked at their expressions and realisation kicked in, and his mouth dropped open."No…"

"Yes. You're expecting twins." Said the Doctor.

Only Seven could find words to say. "Well I suppose my father and Aunt Irene were twins, perhaps I am genetically predisposed…"

Chakotay laughingly kissed her over and over. "Perhaps you should have told me something like that..."

**A/n: So are you happy? Sorry it's rushed, my laptop is running out of power. Please review, don't be shy, I appreciate every single one.**


	26. Chapter 26

The day of the party finally came, just as Seven and Chakotay were adjusting to the fact that they were now expecting two babies rather than one. It was easier than they had anticipated, after all they weren't going to reject a child just as much theirs as the other. Seven was even a little pleased with herself in being so efficient as to get two babies out of one pregnancy. Medical concerns, as ever dimmed their happiness slightly, the risk to Seven was now even greater as the Doctor had made abundantly clear to them.

Despite all this Chakotay approached the party with a great deal of nervous anticipation. He saw his friends gathered in the next room but paused when he saw that Seven had fallen behind. He glanced back at her, "They're in here, come on."

"I can see that." Seven stated, holding back. Unlike her husband she had dreaded telling their old crewmates ever since the Doctor had informed her of her condition.

Chakotay let her cold defensive tone go over his head and took her hand. "Stop worrying." He murmured, "You think too much, sweetheart."

Seven looked into his lively joy filled face, perhaps he was right and she was over anticipating their reactions. They had accepted their marriage easily enough after all. I am Borg, I cannot raise children. She silenced the voice of doubt in her mind, she had nothing to be ashamed of, these children had been conceived in love and wedlock and she desperately longed for their arrival. Surely no one could truly disapprove of that.

Chakotay smiled as her face relaxed in the way that told him she had reasoned her emotions to the back of her mind. "Ready now?"

"Yes." Seven said, still with more confidence than she felt and took his arm. They walked into the crowded room, Icheb and the Doctor immediately approached them.

"How are you?" asked Icheb, speaking for both himself and the Doctor.

Seven gave them both a reassuring look, "Fine." Behind them Seven spotted a heavily pregnant Samantha Wildman with her husband, Naomi stood apart, her eyes catching Seven's and she quickly made her way over beaming at the new arrivals.

"Hello! Seven, I got a new science project at school and…"

Her father, who had followed her, spoke up. "You have a new science project?"

"Yes." Naomi responded in irritation, turning back to Seven without another word to her father. Chakotay and Seven exchanged glances, obviously the father daughter relationship had yet to become close even after a year and a new baby on the way. Seven was surprised for Naomi was the friendliest child she knew, but she had learned over the years that family relationships were seldom simple.

Tom appeared with Miral on his shoulders. "Chakotay, Seven, hi! The Admiral's just about to make her welcome speech."

It was then that they saw the Admiral step up on to the stage at the front of the room and everyone automatically arranged themselves around her. "Colleagues, friends, welcome! I can't believe its been over a year since we last had a party like this in the mess hall of our Delta Quadrant home, but I have to say I'm liking Earth so far!" A ripple of laughter passed through the room. "On a more serious note I'd like to thank you all for your loyal service and raise a glass to those who could not join us." A new sobriety entered everyone's head as they toasted. Thankfully Seven and Chakotay had come in so recently that they had not yet been given champagne so Seven did not have to make an excuse for not drinking. "Now let's all have a good catch up…that's an order!"

The party continued in the same jaunty manner though Seven was suffering too much from nerves and lingering nausea to enjoy it much. As it began to wind down and only those he was most familiar with were left, Chakotay tapped his glass for attention. "Excuse me, Seven and I would like to make an announcement." Many sets of eyes looked at him curiously; he swallowed his nerves and continued, "We're expecting twins."

The silence was total, everyone in the room staring at the couple in shock, except for the Doctor and Icheb of course. After several seconds had ticked by like hours Naomi ran up to Seven, "That's great Seven! My little brother will have some friends!" This happy exclamation seemed to break the ice and a commotion of voices broke out around both Seven and Chakotay until the Admiral's voice echoed over them all. "How far along are you Seven?" she asked coolly, her expression unreadable.

"Twelve and a half weeks Admiral." A flicker of thunder crossed the Admiral's features and she turned on her heel without another word, Seven and Chakotay's eyes following her.

Tom, trying to lift the sudden tension in the air, hit Chakotay playfully on the arm. "You're a sly one Chakotay, these two are honeymoon babies!"

Harry nodded vigorously in agreement. "You two always like to make a splash."

"That is never our intention…" Seven muttered under her breath.

Tuvok came up to them, his face looking as close as it ever could to pleased. "This is a logical step forward for you, congratulations."

Chakotay leaned over and whispered in Seven's ear, "I'd better go talk to her."

Seven could hear the exasperated sigh in his voice. "I will come with you…"

"No, you hold the fort here." He wasn't going to let the Admiral's manipulative melodramatics upset Seven. To his relief B'Elanna led her away to a table and he was free to find Kathryn.

He found her sitting in a corner sipping a cocktail. "Something you want to say Kathryn?"

She looked at him icily over the rim of her glass. "What? Congratulations?" she said with acrid sarcasm.

He managed somehow not to rise to that. "Something like that."

"Well, you're not going to get it. I can only marvel at your lack of judgement, not that that's much of a surprise…"

"What do you mean?" He was staring to get angry now.

"Do you want to give Seven a mental breakdown? Neither of you are going to cope!"

"I disagree; I know Seven will do very well. We both want our children."

"Seven would throw herself over a bridge for you but that doesn't mean it's a good idea!" Her derision of both himself and Seven was clear in her tone.

"Why do you value control over everything else Kathryn?"

"We all like to be in control Chakotay; you should know that being an anthropologist."

Chakotay didn't feel like giving her anymore of his attention and walked away from the bitter woman.

"Why didn't you tell us Seven?" asked B'Elanna.

Her tone conveyed her sincere concern and Seven allowed herself to confide in Chakotay's close friend. "We…weren't sure if the pregnancy could sustain itself…we continue to be unsure even now."

B'Elanna heard her anguish and found herself reaching out to the younger woman. "Don't worry about it…you're talking to the woman who tried to change her daughter's DNA. Everything's been fine so far hasn't it?"

Seven nodded, "I don't think I will feel secure until they're born healthy."

"That's natural."

Chakotay came towards his wife who was in deep conversation with B'Elanna. When he looked at Seven he wondered whether he cared what Kathryn thought, as she rose to greet him and take his hand the answer came to him quick a lightening, not a bit.

Seven stepped out of her alcove to find that Chakotay had already left, she noticed his note and read it quickly, "Had to go to work early, I'll be back late. Take some rest; it's your day off!" She smiled to herself and threw the note in the trash, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she did so, taking in her swollen figure. It's my eighteen week check up tomorrow, almost halfway through. She sighed ruefully as she dressed; she had lost the battle against her expanding womb and began wearing maternity wear sometime ago. As her thoughts turned to breakfast she realised she wasn't feeling nauseous, panic edged its way into her soul and she seized the medical tricorder she wasn't supposed to have and scanned herself finding everything normal. That proved the Doctor wrong when he said that having a medical tricorder would make her worry unnecessarily, it had eased her anxiety. Perhaps, though she hardly dared to hope, the twenty four hour morning sickness was finally over.

Another more pleasant symptom of her condition began to manifest itself throughout the day. Movement. The babies were moving; she was impatient to inform Chakotay but knew she would have to wait. At 2010 hours that night Seven heard a noise at the door and thinking it was Chakotay she went to greet him, only to find Naomi Wildman standing outside her door. Startled and confused, she hurriedly opened the door. "Naomi Wildman. What are you doing here?"

Naomi looked at Seven's confused concerned face and began to cry. Seven pulled her inside and shut the door, kneeling down to face her, observing her soaked clothes and shivering body, she had obviously been caught in the downpour of the hour before. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I…had an argument…with my dad…can I stay with you?"

"What kind of argument?"

"A bad one! I don't want to go home!"

"But Naomi, you must return home, your parents will be worried…"

"No…they won't be…" Naomi sniffed.

"I assure you, they will. I will call them…"

"Don't make me talk to them…" she said fretfully.

Seven couldn't force her. "It is my duty to call them, you know that."

Naomi nodded miserably and Seven left to make the call, despite what she had said to Naomi, she requested to her mother that she remain where she was for the night, Seven couldn't help the need she felt to help the girl and her mother though reluctant agreed and thanked Seven. Seven returned to the hallway and looked at Naomi, "You are to remain here, and you will go home in the morning."

Naomi gave a cry of relief and flung herself into Seven's arms where Seven allowed her to stay for a moment. "Thank you Seven!"

"Those wet clothes will make you more susceptible to viruses, go and get in the bath and I will replicate more and make you a hot meal." Naomi retreated gratefully upstairs and she returned warmed and refreshed for the dinner Seven had made. As she sat down Seven spoke. "What prompted you to do such a reckless thing?"

"My dad and I argued."

"Concerning what?"

"Lots of things…" her head dipped, "we always do."

"Naomi, I know that it is a difficult adjustment for you, but it is for him also, there are many emotions which complicate things…"

"I want everything to be simple, like on Voyager!" Seven smiled sadly, how often had that thought passed through her head? "We don't have anything in common Seven!"

"You love your mother and unborn brother don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do!" she exclaimed passionately.

"Well so does your father, you share that if nothing else. Surely he cannot be that bad if your mother married him?"

Naomi thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose he's good at making Mom laugh and me I suppose and he has great stories and he makes the best Ktarian moon biscuits…Oh Seven I've done a really stupid thing…"

"We all run away from things we don't like…I have done many unadvisable things but Chakotay always forgives me, your parents will too."

Naomi suddenly got up and hugged her tightly. "I'm glad I came to see you Seven…"

"You can always come to see me, the Doctor is making me work less, but ask your parents first."

"I will!" Naomi assured her.

Chakotay came into their room later to find Seven preparing for bed. "I spoke to Naomi."

"Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's fine." He sat down beside her. "You know you're going to make an excellent mother don't you?"

Seven could here pride in his voice though she wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve it. She felt a movement again and impulsively took Chakotay's hand and held it to her abdomen, hoping he would feel it too.

He did. "They're kicking!" He cried a beam of pleasure spreading across his face. Seven guided his other hand.

"One's here and one's here."

"I know! I can feel them! Seven why are you crying?" he asked softly, brushing the single tear from her cheek.

Seven was surprised herself but answered. "I'm…relieved I suppose."

"Me too. Hey, can we find out the sexes tomorrow?"

"The Doctor should be able to tell."

"Good, because I need to paint the nursery."

"It's a new house, it shouldn't need painted."

"I'm going to paint it pink if they're girls and blue if they're boys."

"What if it's a girl and a boy?"

He thought for a moment. "Well…I'll paint one wall pink and one wall blue."

"Why only those two colours?"

"It's traditional."

"Is it so that people don't embarrass themselves mistaking a girl for a boy or vice versa?"

Chakotay laughed so hard it took him a long time to answer. "Yes…that's probably one reason!"

The next day they returned Naomi to her home and grateful parents before going to see the Doctor. "Do you want to know what you're having?" he asked them after the essential scans had been completed.

"Yes please." Said Chakotay.

After a few minutes of examination the Doctor spoke. "They're definitely fraternal twins…"

Seven, as always the quickest on the uptake smiled. "A son and daughter?"

"Yes."

They would of course have been happy whatever the result but at that moment neither of them would have exchanged their son or daughter for anything else. Chakotay gave Seven a passionate kiss. "You're carrying on the family tradition!"

"My Aunt Irene will be pleased…and you'll only need to paint two of the four walls!"

**A/n: I hope this chapter didn't seem too long. If you review I can bounce name ideas off of you. I welcome suggestions because I'm not sure yet. Thanks for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

With the news that they were expecting a boy and a girl came shopping. Cots, changing tables, toys and clothes were all rapidly accumulated, although Seven insisted that all the furniture was neutral for she was becoming sick of baby blue and baby pink. The room did get painted before the furniture was put in but in a clean apple green after Seven made the point that they wouldn't grow out of it as quickly. All these decisions were made mutually and relatively easily but there was one purchase which constantly caused discord. "Seven, I'm telling you that it would be sensible to get a car…" Chakotay started the conversation once again at breakfast at the start of Seven's nineteenth week.

"Why? A car is an inefficient and antiquated form of transportation which we have not needed so far." Their house was relatively close to the centre of Flagstaff and despite being pregnant Seven continued to walk everywhere only getting on a bus or tram if somewhere was inaccessible by foot or if she was _really_ tired.

"Well, _our_ car wouldn't be antiquated." Chakotay replied in exasperation. Seeing that her face remained set in a stubborn line, he continued, "Do you really want to pushing our newborn babies through the streets in the depth of winter or dragging that bulky stroller off a bus?"

Seven couldn't help the vision of their new twin sized stroller getting trapped in the doors of the bus from entering her mind and Chakotay saw her expression waver. "Great! We'll go and buy one today!"

"I have not yet learned how to drive." Seven pointed out, not totally willing to admit that she'd given in.

Chakotay flashed her his most charming smile. "If I know you, you'll pick it up pretty easily."

They did purchase a car that day and it was far from antiquated, the salesman described it as nearly new and family sized. Seven had to admit that Chakotay had probably been right as she rested her tired swollen feet on the drive home.

As her nineteenth week merged into her twentieth Seven was still working at the Lowell Observatory and although she was only supposed to work her normal hours, tonight Seven was working late. The day had been very interesting, the Observatory's telescope had found what she knew as a Spatial Singularity 8932 around fifteen light years from Earth and she had spent most of the day explaining to her less informed colleagues what this was, before she'd even got a chance to study it herself. Her internal clock now told her that it was 1918 hours, her stomach gurgled hungrily at the knowledge and she decided it was probably time to go home. Packing up her belongings she wondered whether to call Chakotay to pick her up in the car but decided to walk since it was a clear night and outside had lost most of its mid August heat, it was only a fourteen minute walk home anyway.

Seven walked into the house and sat down the heavy bag she was carrying only to be confronted by a livid looking Chakotay. "Do you know what time it is? Where were you?"

"It is 1933 hours. I was at the Observatory."

"You're twenty weeks pregnant, you're not allowed to do overtime!" he told her angrily.

"I fell behind today…"

"That's no excuse, you'll make yourself ill! I don't want you walking home either…"

Seven felt anger rising within her, "Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I've lost my good judgement!" she snapped hotly.

"I didn't say that…" he retorted, angry at her having misunderstood him.

Seven turned away from him in frustration and the house remained silent for the rest of the night with no conversation between the couple, Seven going into her alcove without so much as a kiss and Chakotay alone in bed.

Seven stepped out of her alcove, her eyes seeking out Chakotay to comfort her after another nightmare but then she remembered their argument of the night before and she hated herself for allowing it to fester overnight without being resolved. Apprehensively she sat on the edge of the bed and touched his arm; his sleep must not have been deep for he woke almost immediately. She spoke before he could say anything. "I apologise for staying late at work last night and for not resolving our argument as soon as it occurred."

He sat up and wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a moment before saying anything, he had missed her presence badly. "I'm sorry too…we should have made up quicker. I trust your judgement more than anyone's; I suppose I'm easily worried right now…"

"I am also easily agitated." She admitted, "I will not worry you in that manner again."

"Thank you my love." He murmured, kissing her softly.

That day at work was much harder than the day before in fact Seven looked so tired that her boss sent her home an hour early and she didn't even complain, taking the tram almost to her doorstep. She planned to go straight to bed or to her alcove but she noticed their phone was flashing that someone had left a message. Sitting down she activated the message and saw a smart looking older man on the screen before her. "Hello Mrs Kotay I'm Mr Fredricksen from the law firm Fredricksen, Bengtsson and Wallander. I was your parents' lawyer; I'm calling to inform you about your rights concerning your parents wills, you are the sole beneficiary for both. I know this is perhaps a sensitive subject but it is your legal right to unfreeze their assets and inherit, although to do that they would both have to be declared legally dead. I'm sorry, but it's the way the legal system works. Please feel free to make an appointment to discuss this, my number is…" Seven switched the phone off, unable to bear anymore. Legally dead? But my parents aren't dead, how could he speak of such a thing! Her heart screamed. They are Borg, which is like death in most ways. They will never return, said the horribly detached logical voice in her brain but physically she felt as if she'd been kicked and tears burned at the edges of her eyes, longing to be allowed to fall. She stood up abruptly wanting these grief stricken angered thoughts to leave her alone.

She ascended the stairs quickly, ignoring the headache and dizziness which suddenly came upon her and sat down on the bed in her room, opening her bedside table and pulling out three photographs her Aunt Irene had given her. The first was a photograph of her parents' wedding as she looked at it she thought how happy and carefree they looked, how similar it suddenly seemed to her own wedding photographs. The second was of her father sitting beside her heavily pregnant mother, pregnant with _her_. She felt one of the twins kick her at that moment and a sob escaped through her lips. She barely glanced at the one which showed her as a baby, her father teaching her how to walk. Why do I have to feel like this now? She shouted internally. Leave me alone! The pain in her head got worse and she staggered to the bathroom, taking one look at her face in the mirror she knew something was very wrong and unconsciously reached for the comm. badge that wasn't there. That was last thing she was aware of before she felt herself falling and then there was nothing.

**A/n: Bet you hate me right now, a shorter chapter than normal **_**and**_** a cliff-hanger, but don't worry I'll probably have free time for writing tomorrow. Please review!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/n: You're lucky that my life is boring and I have nothing better to do than post new chapters. Please review!**

Chakotay came home that night to a house so silent that it made him uneasy. "Seven?" he called, but the only reply he got was the echo of his own voice. Surely she hadn't worked overtime again, not after last night's argument? Deciding to call the Observatory just to check he went to the phone and called Seven's boss, who answered almost immediately. "Hello? Oh hi Chakotay, what can I do for you? Seven feeling any better?"

This threw Chakotay off, "I…I don't know, I was calling to see if she was still there…"

"She's definitely not here, I sent her home over two hours ago because she didn't look well…she's really not with you?"

Chakotay tried to hide his anxiety from the man. "It's okay; I probably just haven't looked in the right places…"

"Okay, when you find her tell her not to worry about coming in tomorrow."

"I will thanks, bye." He quickly cut off the conversation, before noticing the phone had a message on it, maybe it was from Seven. He activated the message but quickly realised it was not from Seven. He watched it with a sinking indignant heart, how could someone be so callous as to bring up wills and declaring people dead in a phone message? He hoped to God that Seven hadn't seen this, for he knew it would shatter the fragile truce she had with her memories of her parents. All he knew was that if he found Seven curled up crying somewhere he would hunt that lawyer down and give him a piece of his mind. Desperately hoping that she would just be regenerating he made his way up to their room but found it empty. Glancing around, he saw the photographs and picked them up. He had never seen these…she must have seen the lawyer's message… His thoughts were cut off when he looked through the bathroom door and saw Seven lying lifeless on the floor.

Dropping what he was holding he ran in, what he saw before him horrified him. Her face was pallid and bloodless, very visible implant sparked with sinister electrical surges and her gold hair was stained with crimson blood which was rapidly oozing out over the floor. "Oh my God, Seven!" He choked out, having enough presence of mind to check for a pulse, almost sobbing in relief when he felt it faint though it was. He tried to lift her head, feeling the blood on this hand, "Seven, Seven…talk to me…" he pleaded pointlessly only now dimly realising that she must have cracked her head on the tiles when she fell for whatever reason. The emergency medical beacon! Why hadn't he thought of that before? Leaving her there, he began to rummage through the bedroom drawers, unable to remember where she had put it or even what it looked like. Finally his hand found it in the top drawer of her bedside table. He hurriedly clipped it on to his wife's motionless body and activated it watching as she was immediately beamed away.

As shock began to grip him he sat staring at the bloody patch on the floor. Why couldn't they have transported him too? This thought pushed him into action and he was being transported to Starfleet Medical from Flagstaff's transporter station before he remembered that he probably hadn't been in a fit state to drive there from home, oh well he hadn't crashed. As he ran past the hospital's reception desk he was stopped by security. "What are you doing?"

"Finding my wife!"

"Check in at reception."

"Listen, I've just had to get my pregnant wife transported here from home, I need to see her!"

"Check in at reception and they'll tell you where to go…"

Chakotay ignored him and just than the well known route to the Doctor's offices, finding him bent over Seven's unconscious body lying on a biobed. "Doctor!"

The Doctor turned to him with a strained expression. "Oh good, you're here."

"I would've got here quicker if you'd have transported me with her! Is…is she alive…"

"Yes, I've stabilised her…"

"What about the babies?" Chakotay asked, feeling sick to the stomach.

The Doctor smiled at him reassuringly. "They're fine; her body seems to prioritise them over her at the moment. From what I can tell her implants began to destabilise and caused her to faint, she had a severe concussion but I've healed that…"

"So she's fine now?" Chakotay had never felt so relieved.

"I wouldn't say that…if pregnancy's making her implants destabilise this early into it, she's going to have to be on bed rest until she delivers."

"She's not due for another twenty weeks!"

"I know…I know. Do you want to break it to her or shall I?"

"I will." He said shakily and the Doctor roused Seven out of unconsciousness. After several seconds her eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room in panic.

"Where I am?" She took one look at her white faced, shaking husband and feared the worse. "They're dead…I…killed them…"

Chakotay took her one of her hands in his and stroked her face with the other. "No…no…they're fine, don't worry. You're in the hospital because I found you passed out on the bathroom floor…"

Seven interrupted him. "My implants destabilised?"

"Yes. How did you know?" asked the Doctor curiously.

"I felt unwell so I went to the bathroom and when I looked in the mirror I saw my implants surging, that's the last thing I remember."

The Doctor processed this information for a moment and Chakotay gently broke the news he knew would upset his almost unnaturally active wife. "My love, the Doctor said the only way to stop this happening again is bed rest…"

Seven inhaled sharply though she had been preparing herself and stared at the Doctor. "For how long?"

The Doctor sighed. "For the duration of the pregnancy."

"I'm incapable of carrying them to full term aren't I?" She finally forced herself to ask.

"Perhaps not incapable…but I'd induce you if you got as far as thirty seven weeks, that's considered full term for twins anyway. To get that far you'll need to be on the strictest bed rest, no getting up except to bathe and regenerate is that understood? If this happens again you'll need to remain in hospital, but for now you can go home tomorrow."

Seven gulped, imagining the next seventeen weeks confined within her bedroom's four walls, unable to do anything productive. "I will do whatever is necessary for my children's' health Doctor." She stated with more certainty and bravery than she felt.

The Doctor left after giving Seven her nightly dose of the anti assimilation drug she had been taking and arranging a fold out bed in the room for Chakotay next to Seven. A period of silence elapsed between them before either of them could find anything to say. "I apologise in advance for my irritability I know you will have to tolerate for the duration of my bed rest." Seven told Chakotay.

Chakotay laughed jerkily, still not over the serious fright he had received. "I'll live with it…they'll be worth all this in the end."

Seven looked over at him, he still looked terrible. "You were anxious for me…you are suffering from shock…"

Chakotay gripped her hand tightly. "I think that was the worst fright I've ever had…" he allowed everything else to go unspoken as she kissed him gently to soothe him and then sighed.

"I hope our daughter has easy pregnancies when she has children."

"And I hope our son never has to watch his wife suffer like this…hey isn't it a bit early to be thinking about grandchildren?"

"The time will come." Seven said thoughtfully, allowing Chakotay to kiss her again.

After one night in hospital Seven was confined to her room at home and just as she had anticipated she was finding it extremely difficult. Against her protestations Chakotay had hired a maid to clean the house and keep an eye on Seven, the only reason she tolerated this intrusion as she saw it was to calm Chakotay strained nerves, for she knew finding her in that state had severely traumatised him. She often felt that she was trapped in paralysis while the world moved on around her, Harry Kim got engaged half way through her twenty second week and Naomi's highly anticipated little brother christened David Wildman was born on the 30th of September, just as she was celebrating the beginning of her twenty fifth week. It wasn't that she lacked visitors, B'Elanna and Tom frequently came together and separately, Icheb came every day he could spare. Aunt Irene often "popped in" as she called it and even Admiral Janeway and Tuvok came frequently.

Waking from another unduly prolonged nap, Seven glanced at the calendar on the wall which counted down to her inducement date on the 23rd of December. 15th of October, nine weeks and six days to go. She took an unreasonable level of joy in the fact that the wait in weeks was now down to single figures. She changed her position slightly and turned her head to the door to see Naomi bounce in shortly before her mother carrying the new baby and Seven's Aunt Irene. "Hello Seven! How are you? I'm tired; Davy's been keeping me up so I moved to the downstairs bedroom."

"I am fine Naomi." Seven said with a rare smile, enjoying Naomi's exuberance.

Samantha Wildman's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me Naomi? _You're_ tired? What about me and your father?"

Naomi looked over at her mother contritely. "Sorry Mom, I didn't mean it like that, I was just talking to Seven."

Irene walked over to Seven. "How are you feeling today Annika?"

Seven shouldn't stop from sighing slightly. "My situation remains unchanged."

Samantha looked at her sympathetically as she sat down with the baby, "I know, I thought being a week late was bad but I'm relieved I never needed bed rest with either of them."

"Erin, Annika's mother, was put on bed rest too; I thought Magnus was going to lose his mind with the waiting." Irene smiled sadly at the memory.

They all fell quiet for a moment before Samantha spoke again, "I heard the Doctor was going to induce you Seven, have you got a date yet?"

"Yes, the 23rd of December."

Naomi's eyes lit up. "Ohh, that's only two days before Christmas! You could give them Christmassy names!"

"Naomi, don't be so nosy!" her mother reprimanded.

"I will take your idea into consideration Naomi; we have yet to select names."

"It's a nightmare, David was nameless for two whole days while we bickered over it!" laughed Samantha.

"Annika's name was a very contentious subject at the time. I think they finally decided to name her Annika after my mother if she was a girl and Erin's father's name if it was a boy."

"What would Seven have been called if she'd have been a boy?" asked Naomi in curiosity.

"Michael." Replied Irene, before noticing that Seven looked upset. "Are you tired, dear?"

Seven nodded mutely and Samantha ushered Naomi out after she had given Seven a hug. Irene hung back and took Seven's hand. "I'm sorry if I upset you talking about your parents like that dear."

Seven swallowed hard, "No…no, it doesn't Aunt Irene. I should hear these things."

"Okay." Irene remained unconvinced but let it go. "I'll come back in a couple of days."

"Please do." Seven replied softly.

Chakotay returned late that night and immediately went to see Seven, slightly disturbed to see her staring blankly at the wall. As had become his habit he lay down facing her and stroked her face affectionately. "How are you?"

"Fine." She responded in a non committal listless tone. "How was work?"

"Busy. Anyone come to see you today?"

"Samantha, Naomi and David Wildman and Aunt Irene."

"All at the same time?" She nodded. "They have any name suggestions for us?"

"Naomi thinks we should have a Christmas theme."

"She's about the tenth person to suggest that…any others?"

Seven bit her lip, "It's sentimental…"

"Seven, if we're allowed to be sentimental about anything it's our children's names. What is it?"

"Michael."

Chakotay smiled for it was the first time Seven had suggested something and he liked the name. "Michael, I like that. Why is it sentimental?"

"My Aunt Irene told me it was my maternal grandfather's name."

"That's great!" he paused when he saw tears slide down Seven's face. "Hey…what's wrong?"

Seven looked at him for a moment, seeking comfort. "I was thinking how wrong it was not to forgive them…"

"Forgive who?"

"My…parents. If our children had been born on Voyager they would have been in danger of death or assimilation just as I was on the Raven…it wasn't their fault, not really. I know that they loved me just as much as we love the twins…"

Chakotay hugged her close. "You're right about that they did love you…your anger was understandable…but if our children can help you let go of that and grieve for them properly then that can only be a good thing…"

"I don't want to declare them dead…" she mumbled tearfully into his shirt.

"Oh sweetheart, you don't have to. Don't worry."

After holding her until her sobs quietened Chakotay made a hesitant suggestion. "You know what; I think it would be nice for the babies to have your parents' names as middle names."

Seven looked into his face and saw nothing but sincerity and love there. "I'd like that…but it's not very fair, what about your family?"

"Well they'll have my father's surname and he never liked his given name much anyway…"

"What about your mother's name?"

"Aylen?" asked Chakotay in surprise.

"Yes. What does it mean?"

"It means both "clear" and "happiness" in my language."

Seven smiled in satisfaction. "Perfect."

He kissed her lovingly and leaned over to talk to her stomach. "So, Michael Magnus and Aylen Erin, you stop making life difficult for your mother and I'll give you a toy when you come out of there, okay?"

Seven giggled and pushed him away, "I highly doubt that will work!"

"It's worth a shot!" He retorted laughingly.

**A/n: I hope you don't hate the names; Aylen is a real Native American name according to the site I used. Thanks to SweetDeath04 and EMcKinney for the supportive reviews, MidnightVampireCharlotte for suggesting the name Michael (hope you're pleased I used it!) and DestinChild for approving of the name Aylen and for suggesting incorporating Seven's parents names. Rono777, thanks for the laugh but I won't be using the names 8 of 9 and 9 of 9 unless I write a parody!**

**My loyal reviewer DestinChild has published a new story called Endgame Rewrite, I really like it because it's pro C/7, I hope she doesn't mind me plugging it but I feel it's my duty to support other pro C/7 writers. **


	29. Chapter 29

The autumnal desert sunlight brought Chakotay out of his sound sleep and he turned his head to gaze at Seven, now at peace beside him after a difficult night. He run his thumb over her red rimmed eyes, much as her tears had pained him, he knew that they were a healthier reaction than when she had had her emotions towards her parents' fate all bottled up within. He ran his hand down to her bump and felt one of the babies kick, Seven's face didn't stir even as it happened again, how was she able to sleep through that? He was just wondering whether it was Aylen or Michael that was doing it when Seven shifted and woke. "You will need to go to work soon." She mumbled into the pillow.

"Yeah, I know. Didn't you regenerate at all last night?"

"No. I will do it later; I have little else to fill my time."

"It's Friday today, we'll have all of the weekend together I promise."

"You don't need to do that…" Seven protested, feeling guilty at tying to the boredom of this room during his days off.

"But I will." He replied with conviction. "Now, what do you want for breakfast?"

Seven blinked awake, the words "Regeneration cycle is incomplete" slamming into her ears.

"You still make it say that? Doesn't it wake Chakotay up at night?" A familiar voice told her. When her vision cleared Seven reeled in shock.

"Admiral!" Janeway stood before her, carrying a large box. Seven remembered her question and responded. "The warning is built into the alcove I cannot deactivate it, only turn the volume down at night."

Janeway smirked slightly, "Still can't take a joke can you Seven?"

"No Admiral." Seven agreed, agreement was always the simplest route with the Admiral. She eyed the box suspiciously, "What is that Admiral?"

"Research Starfleet wants you to check out. Now I know Chakotay will be annoyed but it's nothing you can't do lying down…"

Seven now took in the contents of the box hungrily. Finally a productive activity! "Thank you!" she exclaimed softly, her voice full of gratitude. The Admiral made herself comfortable in a chair and Seven lay back down in bed. The Admiral seemed agitated, and waited a while before speaking.

"I've been given a new ship Seven, the U.S.S DaVinci."

" An appropriate name." Seven said as her only comment, awaiting more.

"We are going to the Gamma Quadrant in three days, the mission is set to last a year."

"A year! And you're going on Monday?" Seven asked in complete shock, when the Admiral nodded in confirmation, Seven looked at her in silence for several minutes before speaking again. "You have never really _adapted_ to being back on Earth have you Admiral?"

Janeway just sighed deeply, "The Gamma Quadrant needs some good people after the fall of the Dominion. I've always had wanderlust, why else would I go into the Badlands after Maquis a month before my wedding?"

Seven flinched at the bitterness and regret in this statement. Perhaps the reason the Admiral had been so against her pregnancy in the beginning was that she saw the drone she had salvaged getting the happy marriage and children she had missed out on by a twist of fate? Not relishing this line of thought but now looking at the older woman with understanding that hadn't been there before she decided to be supportive. "The Gamma Quadrant will be receiving our best. I…hope you find what you're looking for Admiral."

If she wasn't mistaken relief passed over the Admiral's face and for a moment Seven wondered if she'd told anyone else of her leaving. The Admiral abruptly rose and lifted two packages from a bag, laying them out on the bed beside Seven. "Now I made blankets for the Wildman children and Miral…if you have some already don't worry…"

Seven shook her head and hastily unwrapped the packages to reveal the two most beautiful baby blankets she had ever seen. One was a deep emerald green, the other a soft amethyst shade, each were edged in silk of the other colour. She ran her hand up the soft warm wool and gazed at the Admiral in amazement, who chuckled. "Well, I won't be around to see these two born so I thought I'd go a bit more extravagant…I was going to monogram them but you haven't chosen names yet…"

"Oh we did, last night. Michael Magnus and Aylen Erin."

"You included your parents' names?" asked the Admiral in surprise.

"Yes, it seemed a good gesture to make…"

"I'm proud of you Seven." The Admiral said suddenly, and Seven had the feeling that she would not see her again, the mission was more dangerous than she had let on. Janeway then picked up the emerald thread and the amethyst blanket, beginning to sow an A.E. and the rest of the visit passed in companionable silence.

Chakotay was astounded when Seven recounted the visit to him that night. He couldn't believe that after so long of shunning them Kathryn had revealed her better side. Unlike Seven he wasn't particularly shocked that she was leaving, Kathryn never had been able to settle. In light of this he once again admired his beloved wife's constant adaption to change though her old work ethic now irritated him as he tried to get her to relax and leave her new work alone. "Seven, it can wait until the morning…you should be resting…"

Seven laughed quietly, "That's what the Admiral said you'd say…"

"She knows me well and so do you so stop worrying me!" he retorted.

"Fine. We will sleep." She said, waiting for him to come and join her. When he did he quickly fell into a sound sleep but the same state evaded her, discomfort reigned. She tossed and turned for a couple of hours without relief before giving up and going to her alcove to regenerate. She was surprised when not just discomfort but pain kept jolting her awake. A sickening sensation rose within her when she realised that the pain was not random but regular and she desperately shook Chakotay awake.

He peered up at her with bleary eyes. "What's wrong?"

She looked at him as levelly as she could, panicking him wouldn't help. "I…believe I am having contractions which are five and a half minutes apart. I must use the emergency medical beacon and go to the Doctor."

Chakotay stared at her in horror. "What? How can that be? You're barely twenty seven weeks along…"

"I…I…realise that." She replied shakily, her grip tightening on the beacon as another undeniable pain passed through her.

Her pain wracked face forced Chakotay to see that this was real. "Go!" he told her and she immediately beamed away.

The Doctor was scanning her almost before she'd materialised in his medical bay. "Oh God." He muttered and yelled at the nurse, "Get me Ramadrin, Iltazone and Otrimol now!"

Only now did Seven's fear break through the mental walls she'd built to contain it. "No…no…no…it's too soon…they can't come now…" she began to whimper.

"They won't if I can help it!" said the Doctor, beginning to administer huge doses of the labour halting drugs he had ordered.

Chakotay burst through the doors and ran up to Seven who immediately burst into tears before getting herself under control again as he tried to soothe her. After three hours of battling the contractions stopped and Chakotay and Seven were overwhelmed by relief before noticing the Doctor's expression. "Seven you will have to remain here…twenty seven weeks is just too early…"

Seven had already resigned herself to this. "I know."

"No…you don't…I'm going to have to put you in a medically induced coma…"

"A _coma_?" Chakotay burst out, "You can't do that…"

"He can and will." Seven stated emotionlessly.

"Seven…"

"Doctor will you leave us for a moment?"

"Yes, of course." The Doctor turned away from the argument he knew was coming.

"Seven, how can you even _consider_ this? It's too dangerous!"

"It's too dangerous for Aylen and Michael if I don't do it." That stumped him and he just stared at her with frightened, guilt filled eyes she couldn't bear.

"Chakotay I need you to listen to me with a rational mind." She said after some minutes had passed.

"Okay…" he replied in a wobbly tone.

"You may face some difficult decisions…I want you to know that I support you completely…"

"I already know that!"

Seven just continued, "If the worst should happen…if you need to make a choice…choose the children that we share…with no guilt or sorrow…"

A zombie like Chakotay finally felt the meaning of her words sink in. "What are you saying? This is about what that future Admiral said…we've been through that already!"

"It's not about that…it's about us alone. We will hope everything will be fine but prepare for…"

"I'm not going to _prepare_! I won't! I can't! Don't ask me to!" He stormed about the room like a trapped animal. Seven watched him for a moment before opening her arms to him with tears streaming down her face.

He collapsed against her, shaking violently. "I can't lose you…I can't live…"

He repeated this mantra over and over suffering something akin to a panic attack with Seven's arms tightly round him, kissing him and murmuring, "I know…I know…" as he clung to her.

After some time had passed Chakotay's mind returned to him and he felt a surge of love for the woman who had comforted him and kissed her gently, knowing that he must do as she asked. "Come in Doctor, we're ready now."

The drugs were carefully administered and Seven slipped into unconsciousness with Chakotay holding her hand. "We would have lost all three of them Chakotay if she'd laboured in the state she was in…" explained the Doctor.

Chakotay nodded. "I know. What do we do now?"

"We wait."

**A/n: I hope you don't hate me! Please review!**


	30. Chapter 30

Chakotay sat by Seven's biobed shut out from the world around him. The Doctor looked on in concern, it was approaching 0600 hours now, and Chakotay had been here most of the night. The Doctor gave Seven a through scan and breathed a sigh of relief; his theory seemed to be working. "It seems to be going well." He commented, hoping to get some sort of reaction from Chakotay.

"Going well?" whispered Chakotay, his eyes fixed on his wife's still body, hooked up to every machine possible. Only a doctor could think all this was in anyway promising.

"Yes. Her implants are stable again, the contractions have stopped and the babies are healthy."

Chakotay stared blankly up at him. "You…you stabilised her implants before…why did you have to do this now?"

"This way her implants don't need to do anything. She went into labour because her implants got overstrained and triggered it. Maybe if she'd been a couple of weeks further along I would've let her deliver but right now the babies need as much time as we can give them okay?"

Chakotay listened to the steady beeping of the machines, the rhythmic beats echoing from the babies' heart monitor and knew that resisting the situation would only make it more difficult for himself and certainly wouldn't improve his family's lot. Sighing deeply he took Seven's hand and fell back into his mental void.

"Chakotay?" He jumped out of his skin as Tom and B'Elanna came up behind him. "The Doctor told us what happened, how are you doing?" asked B'Elanna carefully, hiding her shock at seeing Seven like that.

Chakotay forced his eyes to leave Seven and turn to them. "I can't do anything…"

Tom squeezed his shoulder. "Anyone else you want to call?"

"Icheb should probably know. It's a good thing he's off world; I don't want him to see her like this."

"We'll call him and we'll sit with her while you go and get some sleep." Tom told him.

The Doctor intervened, "All of you should go home. Seven will be like this for the rest of her pregnancy, there's no point holding a vigil."

"I'm not leaving!" Chakotay snapped.

"She's fine Chakotay. You can see her during visiting hours. This is going to go on for a while and you shouldn't exhaust yourself."

Tom and B'Elanna could see the logic in this argument; they didn't want their friend cooped up in here pining away. "He's right Chakotay; you're going to need all your energy reserves when there are two newborns crying for attention at the same time." B'Elanna reasoned softly.

Chakotay's gaze flickered round his three concerned friends before glancing back at Seven, that life sapping helplessness setting in again. Without a word to any of them he kissed Seven's forehead lightly and walked out of the room.

Over the next two and half weeks Chakotay's friends rallied round to attempt to console and distract him but it had little affect for every night he had to return to his marital home, walk past the empty nursery and try to sleep alone. He visited Seven at every chance he got and the Doctor kept him regularly updated but it didn't relieve his longing for her awakening, to speak with her and hold her.

He glanced up at the old fashioned calendar on the wall above Seven's bed, 3rd of November 2378. He couldn't believe that they had been in this state of limbo for almost three weeks now, though he could see the difference in Seven, the pregnancy was obviously progressing despite it all. He rubbed the back of his hand over her cheek, "You're doing so well sweetheart. When you wake up it'll be time to bring our children into the world and we'll forget all the pain…" He stopped speaking as he saw the Doctor come on his night time rounds.

"Hey Chakotay, thirty weeks tomorrow, how are you doing?"

"The best I can." He replied, tensing as he saw the Doctor's face darken as he ran the scan. "What's wrong?"

"She's a little less stable than I'd like."

"What will you do?" he asked urgently, trying desperately to halt the panic rising within him.

"At this point? I think I'd let nature take its course."

"They'd still be ten weeks premature!"

"I know, but ten is a lot more promising than thirteen I assure you. Most babies recover from that now after a few weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit." He saw the fear in Chakotay's face and backtracked slightly, "Look, I'm not saying she's in labour right now. I'm saying prepare yourself for the fact that it may be soon. Go home and I'll call you if the situation becomes more definite."

By now knowing that he had very little choice in the matter Chakotay returned to Arizona and spent the rest of the evening packing and repacking a hospital bag for Seven and each of the babies, trying to release his anxious energy before giving up and going to bed around midnight, but sleep was not destined to be his refuge for long.

An insistent beeping pierced his dreams and he sat up drowsily. "Computer, date and time."

"Stardate 7811.4, 4th of November 2378. 0338 hours."

The sound continued until the knowledge finally crashed into his brain that it was the phone and he jolted up and out of bed and ran to the phone, activating it to see the Doctor's face who spoke urgently. "Chakotay you need to come, she's been labouring consistently for half an hour now and I believe it would be unwise to try and stop it."

Chakotay didn't need or want to hear any more. "I'm on my way." He said curtly before switching of the phone and dressing at top speed, just remembering to pick up the bags on his way out the door.

He got a shock when he arrived at the hospital, Seven was still unconscious. He rounded on the Doctor, "You told me she was in labour!"

The Doctor met his frantic eyes with a calm gaze. "Oh she is, a decent contraction every five minutes like clockwork for the last hour, but she has to come out of the coma gradually to be safe.

Chakotay let go of the breath he'd been holding and settled down beside Seven to wait. She did come round gradually, the pain hitting her before sentient thought, a moan of pain escaping her lips every so often that made Chakotay wince in sympathy.

It was four hours after the start of her labour before she was awake enough to recognise Chakotay. "Chakotay? What's happening?" she whispered hoarsely.

"You're in labour sweetheart; the Doctor had to bring you round."

A pain coursed through her to confirm what he said and fear filled her. "How long has it been?"

"Almost three weeks, you're at thirty weeks now."

"_No_! That's too soon; get the Doctor to stop it!"

"He can't…"

"What do you mean he ca…" she stopped mid word as another contraction gripped her and she allowed Chakotay to lower her back against the bed. No more argument came from her lips as the reality of her situation sunk in.

Both Seven and Chakotay were reaching what they thought was their breaking point by the twelve hour mark, the Doctor checked her progression and they felt hopeful until he spoke, "You're four centimetres dilated." He told them with an air of satisfaction neither Seven or Chakotay could understand.

"_Four_ centimetres in twelve hours and she needs to get to _ten_?" exclaimed Chakotay incredulously.

"That's a centimetre every three hours! Surely the process isn't this inefficient?" Seven could feel herself getting aggravated at her own body, every inch of her self control already being used to suppress the cries of pain for Chakotay's sake.

"This is normal, especially for a first time mother and you've been in a coma for three weeks…"

"And who's fault is that?" she snapped, fighting her irrational urge to cry.

The Doctor let the outburst go; he'd heard a hell of a lot worse from B'Elanna after all. "I do have some good news, you're far enough along now to get painkiller."

Seven sank against the pillows in relief and exhaustion, submitting to the injections in silence.

After another half an hour had passed, Chakotay felt that Seven had gone unnaturally silent and noticed in shock that her eyes had glazed over. "Doctor!" he cried, "Seven! Seven!"

The Doctor pushed him out of the way, tricorder in hand. "She's having an allergic reaction to the painkillers…we'll have to withdraw them…"

Chakotay swallowed, "You mean she's going to have no pain relief at all?" When the Doctor sighed in confirmation Chakotay felt sick to the stomach. "Can't you do a caesarean instead?"

The Doctor shook his head as he brought Seven back, "Too many implants."

Seven began to lose track of time despite her internal clock, minutes seemed like hours and hours felt like days as the contractions grew so close together that she could hardly breathe. At one point though she dimly realised it was once again dark outside. "Chakotay…how…long…" she gasped out to him.

He understood her but realised he himself didn't know. "Computer, date and time." He ordered.

"Stardate 7811.5, 5th of November 2378. 0305 hours."

Seven began to feel hysterics close in on her, "Twenty four… hours…" A pain wracked sob shook her body.

"Don't worry, they'll soon be here. The Doctor said you were at eight centimetres about half an hour ago, remember?" Chakotay soothed softly.

Seven couldn't remember everything was blurry. As another contraction pulled at her body she tried to think on anything else other than what was happening. "It's your…mother's…birthday…"

Chakotay smiled at her still excellent memory. "Yeah it is, guess we must have been having a premonition when we chose the name Aylen huh?"

Seven was in too much pain to respond and Chakotay sent a quick prayer to his mother's sprit to please help bring her grandchildren into the world soon to ease Seven's suffering. He got his wish in an unpleasant way, about three hours after that the Doctor seemed to become concerned and kept scanning Seven before leading Chakotay away out of her earshot. "One of the babies' heart rate keeps fluctuating more than normal."

"What can we do ?" asked Chakotay fearfully.

"Hope that that one is born first." Said the Doctor quietly.

A nurse suddenly shouted, "Her waters have broken Doctor!"

Chakotay and the Doctor turned round to see that Seven was covered in bloody fluid. "Is it supposed to be that bloody?" asked Chakotay though he already knew the likely answer.

The Doctor, tight lipped, shook his head and ran over, checking her rapidly. "Time to push." He muttered, he faced a disturbingly silent Seven. "Seven, I need you to push as hard as you can with the next contraction and do exactly as I say, do you understand?"

There was no verbal answer but she did seem to push for the Doctor kept saying "Good! Again!" over and over.

Chakotay was petrified as he stood by unable to do anything, as people rushed past him, radiating nervous energy, he continually prayed to God, his people's Sprits, his father and mother, anything that may have listened, to spare Seven and bring the twins to them in good health.

Finally Seven uttered something between a groan and a scream and Chakotay saw what had worried the Doctor as a tiny baby girl, his daughter Aylen, appeared with the cord wrapped several times round her fragile neck, she looked as if she was being strangled. Everything fell silent as the baby was whisked away. Oh little one, please cry, please be alive, he thought as a horrible wait descended. Suddenly he heard Seven's voice, "No crying…" she whispered, tears streaming down her grey, drained face.

He went up to her, taking her face in his hands. "She will, my love…she will…concentrate on Michael right now okay? Everything's going to be fine…" What will I tell her if it's not? Just as this thought was passing through his head he heard what sounded like choked raspy gasps and glanced over at the nurse pressing an oxygen mask against Aylen's face and saw her arms and legs finally move. A heavy breath left him and he gave a quick prayer of thanks, not exactly the healthy wail he had wanted but she was definitely alive and the Doctor confirmed it as he returned to Seven.

"Seven, your daughter's out of the room being cared for. You have to do that all over again for your son okay? Same thing again." The whole process began again and within a few minutes Michael joined his sister in being born, though he was more vocal, crying weakly almost immediately.

Chakotay was allowed a quick glance at his son before he too was taken to the intensive care unit. "Look, Seven…" he began to exclaim before he saw that blood was beginning to flow everywhere, Seven's blood. He stood against the wall trying desperately not to pass out as he though about what could happen. No, no, she can't die! Not after all this!

He was unaware that a nurse was talking to him until she laid a hand on his arm. "Sir…" Why did her voice sound so far away? "Sir, your wife is haemorrhaging, you need to leave while the Doctor works…" He stood there without moving, unable to process anything until he was led into the corridor and sat on a chair where everything hit him like a tidal wave and he cried from joy and fear.

**A/n: Please review since I updated within a day!**


	31. Chapter 31

Chakotay pressed his face into his shaking clammy hands, trying desperately to control the spasms of fear which continually gripped him as he sat in the stark, cold atmosphere of the hospital waiting room. Every so often he dimly registered the anxious flurries of the nurses and doctors as they moved between patients, their medical jargon going straight over his bowed head. More painfully there were the other families, full of anxious anticipation as they awaited the birth of their new family members; every time an ecstatic father appeared waving a camera Chakotay felt the knife of fear and pre-emptive grief twist within him.

Suddenly he felt a light gentle touch on his shoulder and he reluctantly lifted his heavy lidded eyes to meet the kindly ones of the nurse standing in front of him. "Mr Kotay?" she asked politely.

"Yes…how's my wife?" he asked in croaked urgency.

Her eyes clouded in sympathy. "Your wife isn't my patient sir, your children are, I came from the NICU to tell you that they're stable now and you can come and see them if you'd like."

A huge breathless sigh of relief left him along with a murmured "Thank God." He had to swallow back the emotions which overwhelmed him in order to speak. "Can I really see them?" he whispered.

She gave him a small smile, "Of course you can, come with me." She turned down the hall and he rose to follow, looking back regretfully at the door to Seven's room as he did so. The nurse led him purposely down the hall and towards a large set of doors. "Now I have to warn you that it's going to be a shock seeing them, they're hooked up to a lot of machines but they're getting the best of care…"

Chakotay nodded dumbly, not fully able to take in what she was telling him and although he tried to brace himself it was pointless. The room was white and sterile, filled with beeping machines which sounded sinister to Chakotay, white faced parents and silent babies. He felt himself start to tense up even more in this environment, part of him just wanting to get out but the nurse put a comforting hand on his arm as she called out to another nurse, "Where did they put the new set of twins Angela?"

"The boy/girl pair from two hours ago?" Chakotay flinched, not hearing the rest of the conversation as he took in this information. Had it really only been two hours? It felt like a lifetime had already passed. The next thing he was aware of was the nurse guiding him up to two incubators standing side by side with a chair beside each of them.

"Here they are." The nurse told him gently. Chakotay failed to hold back a horrified gasp, this couldn't be them, encased within incubators, tiny, covered in a myriad of wires and yet he knew that they were, overwhelming love mingled with pain entered his soul. "What are their names?" asked the nurse, well practiced in dealing with shocked parents.

"Aylen and Michael." He replied, his eyes constantly flickering between the two.

"Those are beautiful names. Right now they're both being helped to breathe and eat, that's what all the tubes are for and the incubators are keeping them nice and warm."

Chakotay slowly accepted that information and more, hearing that Michael was slightly heavier that his sister although he couldn't the difference and having every machine and every test that had done patiently explained to him but nothing relieved him until the nurse said, "You can touch them if you'd like, all babies enjoy that." Chakotay nodded eagerly and he was shown how to put his hand in and where the alarm was before being left alone with his new children.

He couldn't decide which one to go to before finally settling for Michael because he was closer. With fearful caution he put his hand in, frightened to touch him. Michael solved his father's problem by kicking out one of his thin little legs and Chakotay stroked it gently. "So you were the one doing all the kicking were you? Are you thinking what games you're going to play when you get out of there? I can already tell you're going to run circles around us, well maybe not your mother but me anyway…" He swallowed a lump that formed in his throat as he thought of Seven but pushed it to the back of his mind. "I'm going to go see your sister okay?" he murmured, leaving his son and going to his daughter. Aylen was worryingly still even when he touched her. "Come on baby…you've already given me a fright today…" he whispered, stroking her tiny cheek with his knuckle. This provoked a reaction, her eyes blinking open to look at her father, revealing them to be a miniature version of her mother's, a pale bright blue. "Oh my angel…you're like your mother already…" he whispered lovingly as he pulled back to sit between the two incubators, taking in every detail he could about both of them.

"Chakotay?"

The Doctor's voice brought Chakotay out of his reverie, "Doctor! What happened with Seven?"

The Doctor smiled at him, "Recovering now, thank goodness. I managed to stop the bleeding but she'll need a lot of supervision, she's not going to be out of here for a while…"

"Can I see her?" Chakotay interrupted.

"Yes…but I need to talk with you about the babies…"

Chakotay felt fear punch him in the gut. "About what? What's wrong with them?" he almost shouted.

The Doctor took this assault calmly, "They're doing well, for babies born this early, no brain bleeds or anything like that, just the normal signs of prematurity…but scans have shown they have…inherited Seven's nanoprobes…"

"_What_?" choked Chakotay fearfully.

"Try not to jump to conclusions, the drug I gave Seven seems to have worked, they're not having an adverse effect…in fact they may be strengthening the babies' immune systems…"

"Wait, are you saying the nanoprobes are _helping_ them?" asked Chakotay incredulously.

"At the moment the evidence seems to point in that direction."

"Seven won't agree with you!"

The Doctor sighed, "I know, I'm telling you because one of you needs to know but I won't have Seven upset anymore than is made inevitable by the separation. We can tell her once she's fit enough to see for herself that they're safe okay?"

Chakotay didn't like the idea of keeping such information from Seven but he knew that the Doctor was right in saying that such knowledge would damage Seven's fragile health. "I'll go and see her."

The Doctor entered the room first, bringing Seven round as Chakotay sat down beside the bed. Seven's eyelashes fluttered open and for several moments she remained silent as confusion reigned in her brain before her eyes focused on Chakotay. "Chakotay…"

"Hi, my love…" His voice didn't sound normal, his face was pale and his eyes were red rimmed.

As her memory returned she gasped in horror and tried to sit up, every nerve in her body screaming in pain before Chakotay jumped up and held her down. "My children…they can't be dead…" she moaned weakly.

"They're not dead Seven…" said Chakotay as soothingly as he could.

"But…but you've been crying and they're not here…" she choked, on the brink of tears.

"They're not here because they need special care…I've been crying because this is the most emotional day I've ever had…"

His explanation didn't sink in, "Are you sure they're alive?"

"Of course I'm sure I've seen them. You did so well…they're perfect honey…" he told her, his voice filled with emotion.

"I didn't damage them?"

"No!"

"They don't look like me?" she whispered, her voice wavering.

"Of course they do, you're their mother." Said Chakotay earnestly.

That wasn't what Seven had wanted to hear, "No…don't say that…I don't want them to look like Borg…"

Chakotay stared at her, "What do you mean Seven? They're not Borg!"

"But…you said they looked like me…I'm sorry…"

Understanding sunk into Chakotay, "How can you say sorry? Oh Seven, you're not worried about implants are you?" The look on her face answered affirmative. "That's not what I meant! Even if they did have implants it wouldn't matter!" He moved until he could hold as much of her shaking body as he could and looked in her face. "Listen to me, they're perfect, I can't imagine better."

Seven saw love and sincerity shining through his eyes and began to cry in relief. "Of course they're perfect, they're yours."

**A/n: Please review, I'm not sure how I've done with this chapter. The next one will be better I promise.**

**I've finished "Eternity" and "Frozen" and have also begun a new story called "Disunity", please read and review. I'll update this again tomorrow and "Lost and Found" at the weekend.**


	32. Chapter 32

Seven lay on the bed, listening avidly to every detail Chakotay was able to give her about their babies but all the second hand description did not ease the knot of fretful tension within her. She looked over at Chakotay, his eyes gleamed with happiness and relief but the nervous edge his manner took on when she caught the concerned glances he thought he kept hidden told her that all was not completely well, something her gut already told her as something she could only assume was separation anxiety tore at her heart and made Chakotay's attempts to truly pacify her futile.

"Chakotay, go and see them again."

Chakotay looked at her uneasily, "I don't want to leave you alone…"

"I'll be fine!" she snapped before recollecting herself, "Just go and check on them please…"

Chakotay heard the plea in her voice, squeezing her hand as he stood up. "I'll be back soon…"

He was interrupted by the Doctor's sudden entrance. Seven immediately froze up, "What's wrong?"

"They're fine." He told her understandingly. "Relax; I'm here to check on you."

Seven frowned at him, "You should reconsider your priorities." She said coldly.

"I'm the Doctor, I decide that. Your health is important too." He replied as calmly as possible, beginning to scan her. "You're more stable now, that's good."

"So I can see them now?" she asked with impatient hope.

"I don't think that's such a good idea right now…"

"Why not?" she asked, emotion making her harsh, "What's so wrong with them that you're scared for me to see…" She managed to stop the tears escaping from her eyes but both Chakotay and the Doctor heard the sob she couldn't suppress.

"Nothing…" pleaded Chakotay, not exactly true as he remembered how tiny and weak they were but he blocked the images out of his mind.

The Doctor decided to be frank, realising that his policy of protection was making the inevitable shock worse. "Listen Seven, they're not in any danger right now but they're far from well and they need care, care you're going to find distressing to see…"

"You…you think I'm not _distressed_ now?" she choked, staring directly at him with tear soaked eyes.

The Doctor caught Chakotay's pleading glance and gave in. "Alright, but you go in a wheelchair and you're regenerating when you get back." Seven nodded her head dutifully, something which surprised Chakotay who never thought he'd hear Seven agree to go in a wheelchair.

The visit took longer to arrange that either Seven or Chakotay had thought, by the time she had all the scans that needed taken was fitted with a bio sensor and given enough painkillers for her to tolerate being out of bed it was late afternoon. Seven sat in silence as Chakotay wheeled her in but she couldn't hold back a strangled sob when she entered the NICU. Chakotay squeezed her shoulder but she didn't respond staring blankly ahead as she tried to mentally prepare herself. The wheelchair came to a halt and the sight before her eyes shattered her heart so completely that it hurt physically and she instinctively curled in on herself, her mind shutting down. Chakotay, who had left her for a second to look in at his son and daughter came back to see her with tears flowing relentlessly down her cheeks. "Oh sweetie, it's not as bad as it looks. They're nice and warm in there and they can concentrate on growing…" Those words made memories click in Seven's mind, of maturation chambers filled with semi assimilated children, of being in one herself. She closed her eyes tightly as she tried to shut out these horrible visions, feeling herself start to panic. "You can touch them if you want." Chakotay told her and it took several seconds before she understood him enough to nod her assent. As she ran her shaking hand up Aylen's side she shivered. This wasn't right. They shouldn't be trapped in there, so separate and unreachable. She withdrew her hand, the action just making her ache to hold them unbearable rather than being in any way comforting.

The Doctor approached them now, observing but not commenting on the tear tracks staining Seven's cheeks. "How long will they be in here for?" she asked suddenly, the first words she'd uttered since leaving her own room.

"I'd estimate around six weeks." The Doctor said softly, this was a shock for both parents but it was Seven who spoke again.

"My cybernetic systems haven't damaged them?" Even in her grieving state she could see her question had hit a nerve, The Doctor tensing up and Chakotay swallowing repeatedly before coming to face her.

"Not damage no…" began the Doctor tactfully. "…nanoprobes are in their bloodstreams but we've been running tests and I don't think there will be any problems…"

Seven had stopped listening. Her breath came as uncontrollable hyperventilation and she couldn't stop her body shaking as she sobbed between gasps for air. She could feel Chakotay grasping to hold her but the release of unconsciousness came before he could conjure up any words of comfort.

She jerked awake, her eyes scanning the room like a trapped animal but the Borg cube of her dream was gone, replaced by a dark hospital room. 0207 hours, what had happened to her? The flood of remembrances crashed into her and she inhaled sharply. She had lost consciousness, right in the middle of the NICU; they must have brought her back here. Why did these flashbacks always have to plague her? The Doctor said there were would be no ill effects for the twins so why did she feel this torturous grief within her? Her hand travelled to her abdomen, but no reassuring kick greeted her, they were separated from her forever. They could be suffering right at this moment and she wouldn't know. She turned slowly round onto her side, weeping softly, why couldn't these emotions stop? Suddenly she heard a sound and her eyes searched for the source only to find Chakotay spread out on a pull out bed on the floor. He had stayed with her. A lump rose in her throat as she examined his features, he was frowning as he slept and looked strained and ill. Was he feeling as she was, fearful, guilty and above all helpless? If he is he's been feeling it a lot longer than I have, at least I had the babies within me as motivation, but he's been helpless the whole time and without me for much of it…I couldn't have coped without him. Careful not to wake him she reached out and brushed his face with her hand. She would have to be brave now and tolerate the bad emotions for the man who had shown her so many good ones.

Chakotay dragged himself off the small pull out bed he'd spent the night on and glanced over at Seven who now looked relatively peaceful, thank God. He stepped out of the room hoping to find the Doctor but instead finding the corridor crowded by Tom, B'Elanna and Harry. He stared at them in shock for a moment before Tom clapped him on the back. "Congratulations, we came last night but the Doctor told us what happened so we left you alone…"

"How's Seven now?" asked Harry.

Chakotay bit his lip. "Still asleep this morning…but yesterday, I've never seen her so upset…"

"She's entitled to be upset Chakotay, I'd have been hysterical if I'd seen Miral like that…" B'Elanna said quietly, her voice thick with sympathy.

Chakotay couldn't respond and Tom spoke again, "Look Chakotay, you know that no one learns how to cope better than Seven…she just needs some time to adjust that's all."

As he watched Harry and B'Elanna nod in agreement Chakotay was touched. "I hope so…"

"Chakotay…" At the sound of Seven's voice their friends excused him and he went into her and she immediately began to speak. "I apologise for my behaviour yesterday…"

Chakotay shook his head vigorously, "It was perfectly understandable Seven…"

She sighed and lowered her head. "Could you please take me into see them again?" When she saw doubt cross his features she spoke in a stronger tone. "I am emotionally stable this time I promise."

Chakotay wasn't sure but he didn't feel it was within his rights to deny her and got the wheelchair Seven lowering herself into it without help. He was deeply apprehensive as they entered but he needn't have feared for although he saw the same spasm of pain cross her face that he felt when he saw them she didn't cry and began talking to each of them quietly.

After some time a nurse approached them. "Would you like to hold them? The Doctor said it would be fine for a few minutes."

"Really?" whispered Seven. Chakotay was speechless.

The nurse nodded. "Which one would you want? Or one of you could hold both of them?"

Seven and Chakotay exchanged glances and Chakotay spoke first. "You hold both of them Seven."

Seven wanted to argue for a moment before she allowed herself to accept the offer with gratitude and watched nervously as the nurse lowered Michael and then Aylen onto her where she immediately held them as close as she could, careful to avoid the wires. She felt all the tension leave her as she felt their warmth and movement against her, Aylen pressing her face against her throat and Michael closing his tiny fist around the collar of her top. Tears slid slowly down her face and onto their heads. Kissing them she murmured in their ears but loud enough for Chakotay to hear her, "Let's let Papa see you my loves." He sat down in the chair and she slowly and carefully gave each of them to him.

After a couple of minutes Chakotay lifted his head up from the babies to look at Seven with a mixture of love and wonderment. "They're so real…We're going to have to get better at passing them over."

Seven laughed softly as she tucked one of Michael's feet back under the blanket. "Thank you…for all of this…" He held her hand tightly and when the babies were put back in the incubator he kissed her deeply, both of them enjoying the new level of love they had found.

**A/n: VERY VERY soppy! I hope you don't hate it, please review!**


	33. Chapter 33

Seven sat peering at the twins, lying side by side under the ultraviolet light used to treat jaundice, and smiled softly when Aylen whimpered unhappily as she moved her hand over to Michael. "Don't be jealous Aylen, I'm still here." She murmured gently as she manoeuvred to give both of them equal attention. They're not even out of the hospital yet and already I am finding it difficult to split my attention, what's it going to be like when they're Miral's age? The memory of when Tom and B'Elanna had brought the sixteen month old in for a visit came back to her, yes if Aylen and Michael followed in her troublemaking footsteps then she and Chakotay were in for a difficult few years, though she knew they would be enjoyable at times too or else no one would have children.

"Hey, how is everything?" Chakotay's soft voice behind her interrupted her contemplative mood. She turned her head towards him as he sat down beside her and greeted the babies. "How are you feeling today? I've missed both of you and Mama so much." Seven smiled at his naturalness with them, she knew he wasn't enjoying being back at work as he had been for the last two days after taking the first two weeks of his paternity leave after they were born to comfort her and reassure himself. She was sure he'd still be staying at the hospital with her if she hadn't made the argument the rest of his three month paternity leave could be better put to use once the twins were home.

"They're doing well today. The Doctor estimates that they'll only need two more days under the lamps." She told him happily, in this situation she found that it was better to be grateful for every small step forward rather than focusing on how far there was to go.

"Great!" Chakotay enthused, "Bet you're bored of blue by now, aren't you sweethearts?" he told the babies, tickling their exposed feet. "Did the Doctor have any other updates?"

"He'll come round on the evening shift soon to see us, but this morning he lowered the volume of oxygen Michael's on and they're both gaining weight at the level he wants."

Chakotay stroked Michael's stomach gently, "So your lungs are getting better, that's good son." He said proudly before turning back to Seven. "Aylen's still the same with her breathing?"

Seven swallowed the lump in her throat. "Her lungs aren't maturing as quickly as the Doctor would like but they're almost the same weight now." Michael and Aylen had had different problems since birth, Michael's weight had been constantly fluctuating, he'd been bigger than Aylen at birth but had had difficulty even maintaining his birth weight let alone gaining any. Aylen on the other hand was still on the ventilator as her brother became less dependent on assisted breathing.

Chakotay put his arm round his wife's shoulders and pulled her closer. "How are _you_ feeling?"

"The Doctor says my implants are almost back to their pre-pregnancy condition." She stated lifelessly, her own health was a low priority to her at the moment.

This wasn't the case for Chakotay; he exhaled heavily in relief and gave her a tender kiss. "You're still feeding them yourself?"

"Yes, the Doctor is pleased." She didn't actually get to hold them as she fed them that was a long way off. The process involved a pump and several tubes, it wasn't exactly the most comfortable of duties but after the pain of childbirth it was a minor inconvenience in the scheme of things.

"I don't want you to feel pressured, if you don't feel up to it…"

"There's a woman with triplets managing." She pointed out.

"I know but…"

"Chakotay, I'm fine! Until the Doctor advises me otherwise I will continue." Seven said in a tone which meant that the conversation was at an end.

Chakotay allowed the matter to rest. It had been her plan after all and he knew that Seven never let go of plans easily. He just worried that she was doing too much, even in the hospital. He didn't think she realised how close to death she'd actually been and he felt she wasn't recuperating enough. The conversation he'd had with the Doctor concerning this hadn't helped, the Doctor had sided with Seven saying that she was under the best medical care and pointed out that it wasn't doing any harm for her to feed them and that it was probably better for her mental health to feel she was doing something for them.

The Doctor came in at that moment and approached them with a scanner. "Good evening." Seven and Chakotay both murmured replies and watched apprehensively as he scanned the babies. He smiled at them reassuringly. "They're both doing well, on track for going home in four weeks I think if they keep improving like this." Both Chakotay and Seven beamed at him in relief. "Speaking of going home, is Chakotay taking you back home tonight like I suggested Seven?"

Chakotay whirled his head around to look at Seven, head low and biting her lip. She hadn't told him anything but the expression on her face told him not to start a confrontation and he turned back to the Doctor. "Are you sure Doctor?"

"Yes, or else I wouldn't be suggesting it. Her implants are normal now so there's no medical reason for her not to be discharged." Chakotay stepped away from the babies with the Doctor and spoke with him privately before agreeing to take her home and returning to Seven alone and taking her hands.

"Don't you want to come home sweetheart?" he asked quietly.

"I do but…"

"They'll be fine. You can't visit them during the night anyway and you can still spend all day with them and feed them…"

This rationale had already occurred to Seven but for once her hormone charged emotions were fighting the mental battle hard. She looked into his eyes and saw understanding and sympathy in them. "I don't want to abandon…it's not fair…" she choked out with difficulty.

No it's not fair. Chakotay mentally agreed with his wife even as he hugged her tightly. "It could never be abandonment my love, not when our hearts are here. They're getting better and we need a break to rest before they come home with us…I'm lonely without you Seven…"

Seven pressed her damp face against his neck. She was lonely too, sometimes she felt as if she was going mad. It was selfish for her to occupy a bed in the hospital when another expectant or new mother may require it. She glanced at Aylen and Michael before saying to Chakotay. "Let's go home."

The transport back to Flagstaff and the short drive home were conducted in silence. Seven immediately ascended the stairs intending to escape into the oblivion of regeneration and then return to the hospital as quickly as possible in the morning but her traitorous eyes looking through the nursery door stopped her in her tracks. She stared into the empty room for a moment before fleeing to her bedroom and sinking onto the bed, her hands clenched into tense fists in her lap as she fought a futile battle with her tears. Get a hold of yourself; they're fine in the hospital! She mentally berated herself as she saw Chakotay enter the room through tear blurred eyes. He came to her and pulled her into a lying position on the bed where he could cuddle her properly. "It'll get better I promise…" he whispered into her ear.

"Did you feel like this when you came back here?"

"Empty, lost, upset, all those things. You know the first day I was supposed to go back to work I didn't go, I just sat here. I don't think I moved all day."

Seven felt guilt stab her. In here, alone? "It's only four weeks." She mumbled bravely, more to herself than to him.

**A/n: Don't hate me, at least Seven's out of hospital. I'll update tomorrow. Please stick with me and review, it'll get fluffy again soon!**


	34. Chapter 34

Seven and Chakotay walked into the hospital ward hand in hand, each carrying a carry cot. Chakotay paused for a moment to take in the bright Christmas decorations which littered the room; he couldn't believe it was Christmas Eve already and that finally the twins were leaving the hospital. He set down the carry cot he was holding next to the other on the floor and joined Seven to look at them.

Seven felt true happiness filter through her as she saw both her son and daughter lying there without any medical interference, wide awake and contented. She couldn't really believe it had taken seven weeks to get to this point but the agonising separation was coming to an end. Chakotay's broke through her train of thought. "A nurse is going to come talk with us, the Doctor's running late but he wants to check them before we go."

Seven barely had time to nod her head in understanding before said nurse appeared. "Hello, the Doctor will be here soon. I've to give you their schedules."

"Schedules?" asked Chakotay apprehensively.

"Oh yes, we have a routine established here. We advise parents of such premature babies to keep it up for at least the first few days." Replied the nurse confidently.

Seven accepted this without question and took the information pad from her to look at the schedule. "Thank you." She told the nurse politely, who smiled at the couple and left. Michael began to fuss and Seven glanced down at the schedule before carefully picking him up. "He's ready for a feed now; can you dress Aylen while I attend to him? I put some clothes in the bag."

Chakotay picked up the bag she pointed out and pulled out the more feminine set of miniscule clothes before looking over at a squirming Aylen. He'd never actually had to dress one of them before. Well, I'm going to have to get used to it, he thought with a nervous sigh as he lifted her up.

Several minutes later Seven looked up from where she was busy nursing Michael to see an only half dressed Aylen and a frazzled looking Chakotay. "What's wrong?" she asked in concern.

Chakotay looked up from where he was trying to fasten tiny buttons with a flush of embarrassment. "Nothing…she just won't stop moving…" Seven felt her eyebrows rise as her concern left her as soon as it had come and was replaced by amusement. Chakotay turned around and caught her expression, beginning to laugh at his own predicament. He peered down at Aylen as he held her delicate arms still. "Stop moving little one, your mother and brother are laughing at me." Aylen blinked her big blue eyes at him for a moment before quietening down somewhat, allowing Chakotay time to complete his task.

Seven finished with Michael and brought him over. After dressing him with much more ease than Chakotay had managed, she gave her husband an apologetic glance. "I probably should have fed them both first, when they're full and sleepy it's easier."

Chakotay gave her a small smile. "Lesson learned. We'll know for next time."

Seven gave his hand a light squeeze before Aylen's crying pulled her away, cuddling her close as she made her way back to back to the chair she murmured. "I know, I know, it's your turn. Papa did a good job of dressing you though didn't he?" The baby didn't respond but she was rewarded with a warm smile from Chakotay.

They were still waiting an hour later when both babies were fed and sound asleep. Chakotay was getting agitated, "Where is he? I want to get home before they wake up."

"Are you talking about me?" said the Doctor smoothly as he walked in.

"Yes, he was Doctor." Said Seven. The Doctor smirked at the comment as he pulled out his tricorder.

He gave both Aylen and Michael a through scan before speaking. "They're fine; I see no reason why they shouldn't be home for Christmas. If you have any problems feel free to bring them to see me."

"That's wonderful!" said Chakotay, the smile on his face so wide it looked ready to split.

"Thank you Doctor." Said Seven quietly, her voice heavy with unexpressed emotion. The Doctor gazed at her and pressed her hand in silent understanding.

"I'll just go and get the form for you both to sign." Said the Doctor, before quickly excusing himself.

Chakotay wrapped up Michael and Aylen each in their own monogrammed blanket the Admiral had made before clipping them into their carry cots. "Right let's…" He stopped midsentence when he saw that Seven was crying. He took her in his arms for a moment before asking, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…I'm just happy this is all over…"

Chakotay glanced over at the babies as he stroked her hair. "Not over…beginning."

Seven rubbed her eyes and stepped out of his grasp with a smile. "You're correct of course."

The Doctor re-entered the room at that moment with the form which they hurriedly signed before going round to say thank you to the nurses and then they made their way home. The transport over to Flagstaff was uneventful and they began to walk to their parked car. "You take them and sit on that bench…" Chakotay pointed to a nearby bench, "…while I convert the carry cots into car seats." Seven obediently took both of them in her arms and sat down on the ice cold bench, the two sleeping babies snuggled into her coat.

After what seemed a long time Seven heard Chakotay's frustrated groan emanating from the car in as many minutes. She gave a tired sigh watching as her breath billowed in a cloud around her. She felt Michael shift against her, this was really taking too long she would need to feed them again soon and it was below freezing out here. "Chakotay please improve your speed." She called into the car.

He stepped out to reply. "I'm trying, but they won't fit in."

"Where are the instructions?"

He gave a laugh and tossed them over before disappearing back into the car. Seven frowned in concentration at the diagrams. They're incomprehensible! If _she_ a former Borg drone couldn't interpret them then how was anyone else supposed to?

Just as this thought passed through her head Chakotay appeared again. "That's it I think."

"You think?" she replied with a sigh of exasperation as she buckled them both in and clambered in between the carry cots to sit down.

"Everything ready?" he asked as he started the engine.

"I believe so." Seven replied as she leaned forward to comfort Aylen who had woken at the movement. Stroking her small face she murmured soothingly, "It is not the smoothest method of transportation but you will adapt to it baby." Chakotay smiled at her use of Borg terms but said nothing as the baby quietened.

After a very slow and nervous drive home Chakotay pulled into their driveway to see that it was already full of cars. "Seven, did you invite anyone over to the house?"

Seven didn't look up from Michael who was beginning to whimper, hungry once again. "No, why?" she replied distractedly.

"Well…"

Seven only now looked out the window."What's happened?"

"I don't know. We'll have to go out and see." Said Chakotay cautiously as he got out of the car and helped Seven unload the twins. Seven led the way down the path to the door intending to open it but as she walked in she was greeted by the entire senior branch of the Voyager crew, her Aunt Irene and Icheb.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion as Chakotay joined her loaded down by the weight of the two babies.

Tom beamed at them. "We thought you'd need some help and since you treated us last year…" It was only then that Seven registered the heavenly smell of cooking food wafting through from the kitchen, she had never felt so hungry.

"Whose idea was this?" asked Chakotay, laughing in surprise.

B'Elanna stepped forward. "Well mine originally but everyone helped."

The Doctor laughed, "Sorry I held you up at the hospital but we weren't ready for you to come back yet!"

"That was your reason?" asked Seven incredulously as they all walked into the living room to be met with a large and heavily decorated Christmas tree which made even her gasp in delight.

"Yeah, it's Michael and Aylen's first Christmas after all, it needs to be special." Said Harry.

"Speaking of Michael and Aylen can we see them?" asked Irene.

"Yes of course…" Seven paused as Michael's cries became louder and Aylen looked ready to join him.

Irene smiled, "its okay, go and feed them and then we'll talk." Seven nodded gratefully and quickly went upstairs with them for calmer surroundings.

Seven was just settling them back down after feeding and changing them when Chakotay came into the room. "How's it going?"

"Fine, they are happy again."

"Good." He sat down beside her, smiling widely. "They've all been planning this for days, cooking a huge spread and they're going to clean up before they leave."

Seven sighed in grateful relief. "I suppose we'd better go back down to them." Chakotay nodded in agreement and taking a baby each they walked downstairs where they were ambushed by requests to hold and play with the new arrivals.

Irene peered into Aylen's as she blinking drowsily up at her and yawned. "Oh Annika, she looks just like you did when you were this age…" She paused when she got no response from her usually attentive niece. "Annika dear?" She turned round to see Seven sound asleep on the couch with her head on Chakotay's shoulder, who wasn't much more alert than his wife.

Tom, who was at that moment holding Michael, spoke up above the din of conversation. "Chakotay will you let him get a tattoo like yours when he's older?"

Chakotay jumped slightly at the question which had jerked him from drowsiness. The vision of a needle going anywhere near the fragile skin of one of his little babies made him wince. "No…probably not…"

Seven, who had half woken at the sound of Chakotay's voice, mumbled, "What's wrong?"

Irene smiled at her softly. "Nothing dear, do both of you want to go for a nap before dinner?"

Seven forced herself to sit upright. "That would be rude…and what about the babies?"

B'Elanna, who had overheard the conversation intervened, "Take every chance to sleep you can get, we'll look after then down here. If we need you we'll wake you up if not we'll wake you up for dinner okay?"

Seven wavered but Chakotay didn't need anymore convincing and led her upstairs to their bedroom, where she went straight to her alcove and he sank onto the bed fully clothed.

Seven's eyelashes fluttered open as she heard shouts reverberate around the house that dinner was ready. She was surprised as her internal clock told her she'd been regenerating for two full hours. Stepping out of her alcove she tried to gently shake Chakotay awake but he just groaned and rolled over. "Chakotay?" she said softly, shaking him slightly harder, when she got no response she became irritated. "Chakotay! If you won't wake up now what's it going to be like when they're crying all night?"

"They're not crying…" he sleepily protested.

"I know but our meal is ready." She turned to the door, smirking as she heard him rush to get up after the mention of food.

They were met downstairs and led to their own dining table, laden with food almost to collapse, their friends cheerily crowded round it. Just as they were getting seated the unmistakable sound of two hungry babies crying in unison echoed round the house. Seven immediately rose to attend to them, waving Chakotay back into his seat when he tried to come with her. "No, you may eat I'll attend to them." She walked back into the living room where the cries were coming from to find Icheb at her side. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked him as he carefully lifted Michael to distract him as Seven fed Aylen.

"Your aunt has been feeding me all day, she seems to believe I am malnourished."

Seven looked at him in confusion. "The Doctor would inform you if that was the case."

Icheb gave a shrug, "Humans do not seem to think that rationally." Seven nodded in agreement and they settled down to their respective tasks.

Seven did eventually get her full meal and everyone did eventually leave. After they were gone Chakotay gazed around the near spotless house. "They did a good job of cleaning up after themselves."

"They have proven themselves to be more efficient than I previously believed." Seven agreed thoughtfully.

"Will we go upstairs for the night now then?"

Seven shifted Aylen in her arms, "We can't avoid it for much longer."

A few hours later the inevitable cycle of feeding, changing and coaxing to sleep was well under way. Seven sat with her legs crossed and Chakotay lay on his stomach both gazing at the twins wide awake in their bassinets situated at the foot of the bed. Seven wrapped her Ventu blanket tighter around herself in an attempt to keep out the chills of exhaustion, starting to regret the decision to keep them in the bedroom rather than the nursery as their alert little sounds made rest impossible for her hyperactive brain. Chakotay leaned forward and stroked one with one hand and one with the other. "Come on, you've both been so good all day, go to sleep so that Mama and I can too."

Seven smiled wryly, "It is slightly ironic, though typical that they slept all day when they had people wanting to see them and now that they should sleep they're very awake."

"Maybe we're just more interesting." Aylen yawned and Chakotay laughed. "I shouldn't get my hopes up should I?"

"No." Seven replied bluntly as she shifted to check Michael for signs of sleep. "Look, he's smiling."

"Really?" said Chakotay in excitement, scrambling over to see. "Aww…"

"He's got dimples like you do."

"I don't have…"

"Yes you do. I can see them right now." She gave his smiling mouth a light kiss.

"Alright I do, but they're not as cute as Michael's."

"Almost." Seven said affectionately before Aylen's gurgle broke her train of thought. "Our talking roused her again."

"She was awake anyway, that yawn was a false alarm. She's laughing at us."

"She's laughing?"

"No, not literally. I can see it in those beautiful blue eyes of hers."

Seven looked at her daughter for a minute. "Her eyes may yet darken, that happens with babies."

"That won't happen with Aylen. She's like a baby version of you."

"Don't say that, they both look like both of us in different ways."

Chakotay nodded, knowing that she was right. He suddenly felt his stomach growl. "Do you want something to eat?"

"It's 0234 hours!" she reminded him.

"I know but…wait if it's 0234 hours that means its Christmas!" He bent his head over the bassinets, "Merry Christmas Aylen! Merry Christmas Michael!"

"Was that really necessary? They're even more awake now."

"It's their first Christmas though, by next year they'll want presents and we'll need to start explaining Santa…"

Seven looked at him, completely clueless. "Santa?"

Chakotay pulled her close and kissed her face. "I'll explain later."

Seven leaned into his chest, her gaze falling on her wedding and engagement rings. "I can't believe it's only been eighteen months and we're married with two children. We weren't even engaged at this point last year…"

Chakotay cleared his throat. "Actually I'd already bought your ring by this time last year…" Seven gave him a soft kiss but he pulled back and looked into her face. "Best decision I ever made." He assured her before deepening the kiss. The wail of one of the twins pulled them reluctantly apart. "Now these two on the other hand…" he said jokingly.

Seven hit him lightly on the arm before carefully picking up both of her children and kissing them, allowing Chakotay to kiss her again as she passed one of them over. As he felt Michael bury himself into his shoulder Chakotay said, more to Seven than to the baby, "Don't worry, I wouldn't change a thing."

Seven smiled warmly over Aylen's head as she rocked her. "I couldn't agree more."

**A/n: Sorry for the day long delay, but this chapter is very long! Please review, I hope you like it!**


	35. Chapter 35

A soft muffled cry entered Seven's dreams and her eyelids fluttered open in response, a sleepy sigh leaving her as she tried to come to and interpret the sound. Her enhanced ears recognised the cry as Aylen's, who had proven to be a lighter sleeper than her brother. As Seven tried to rise, she felt the unmistakable hold of Chakotay's arms round her, why was she in bed and not regenerating? Oh yes, the last time the babies had woken Chakotay had come with her and pulled her onto the bed with him when they had settled. That had been at around 0200 hours, her internal clock told her it was now 0659 hours, it was morning and Aylen had a right to ask for breakfast. As Michael's sleepy cry joined his sister's, Seven knew she would have to get up. As she lifted Chakotay's arms away she gave his peaceful face a quick kiss, she would let him sleep in this morning, it was after all his last day of paternity leave and he had borne more than his weight of responsibilities since the twins had been born.

Pulling on her dressing gown she padded silently into the nursery and lifted a crying Aylen out of her cot by the left wall, carrying her over to the chair next to Michael's cot so that he, only beginning to whimper in newly discovered hunger after his sister had woken him, could see his mother and calm down. Letting herself start to relax again as Aylen nursed, she poked one hand through the bars of Michael's cot letting him occupy himself with the grabbing and sucking of her fingers. Looking at them both she marvelled at how much they had both grown, their cots no longer dwarfed them and they were now becoming heavy to lift. Well, they were supposed to grow; they were after all four months old now. Four months? Had it really been that long? The denial didn't last long, today was the 5th of March 2379, they were exactly four months old. She rubbed Aylen's head thoughtfully as the baby finished, giving her a kiss as she laid her out on the rug to restart the process with Michael. Within two months she could start weaning them, surely that would ease the load? Then she thought of Tom and B'Elanna arguing with a stubborn Miral in her high chair, maybe she shouldn't wish these days away.

Chakotay rolled over and peered blearily at the clock. 9:15! How could he possibly have slept in so late? "Seven!" he called anxiously as he realised she was neither beside him nor in her alcove. Maybe the babies had woken? He glanced around for the bassinets but then remembered they had moved the babies to the nursery two weeks ago to take advantage of their slightly more settled sleeping patterns and get their privacy back.

"We're down here!" Seven's voice travelled up from downstairs. Quickly he dressed and ran downstairs, to be greeted by the scent of cooking French toast wafting from the kitchen. As he entered he saw Seven at the stove with her back to him and Michael and Aylen lying on a large blanket both fascinated by a ball laid out before them that changed colour every few seconds.

"How'd I manage to sleep in? Didn't they cry?" he asked Seven.

"They did. I fed them at 0700 hours." She replied in a preoccupied tone as she concentrated on the task at hand.

"You should've woken me." Chakotay said reproachfully as he set the table for breakfast.

"I need to learn how to handle them unaided at some point, you're going back to work tomorrow and I thought you required sleep." Seven explained as she set his plate down in front of him.

Chakotay tried to stop the flicker of discontent crossing his features at being dismissed, but Seven caught it and he saw her face fall as she sat down with her own meal. As he began to eat he reconsidered his hurt irritated feelings, she was right of course, he was going back to work and he'd been lucky in managing to spin out his paternity leave for this long. Seven had been thoughtful in allowing him more sleep and making his favourite breakfast, he'd rewarded her by being grumpy. He smiled at her softly, silently asking forgiveness. "Well, one good thing about going back to work is that I won't gain anymore weight from gorging on your delicious food."

Seven unfortunately took the teasing literally, "I can prepare a lower calorie meal if you wish, I probably should not be indulging in this either…"

Chakotay had forgotten that tiredness made Seven less likely to pick up on humour. "No! I'm enjoying it! You eat whatever you want, you're feeding two growing babies remember? I don't want you going back to those tasteless nutritional supplements when I go back to work okay?"

Seven smiled, Chakotay seemed to have a complex about her nutritional supplements even though they had made up the bulk of her diet on Voyager. During her pregnancy he had banned them, saying that he wanted his children to develop taste buds.

The day wore on, the couple's activities almost completely dictated by the twins rather than they themselves. Feeding, changing, naps, play, washing and ironing made up the bulk of it. Chakotay was starting to think he might like to be back at work as he re-entered the living room with Michael, Seven had to stop herself from laughing at the sight but Aylen giggled cheerily at her father's strange expression. "What happened?" Seven asked as she took a lively Michael from Chakotay's arms.

"Oh, one of our little darlings took it into his head to kick a full container of talcum power off the changing table and across the room. Don't worry I cleaned it up." Seven couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled forth; Chakotay tried not to notice his wife's mirth at his expense and carried on speaking. "It's a nice day out, we should take them to the park."

"The park? Isn't it too cold?" She asked, thinking of the only just melted winter snows and watery sunlight that provided no warmth.

"We can wrap them up." He pointed out determinedly.

Seven saw a glint of desperation in his eyes. Perhaps he was succumbing to what the Doctor called "cabin fever", it had been a long winter after all. "Alright…" she conceded. "I'll feed and change them while you shower."

"I showered this morning."

"You require another." She told him firmly, indicating his hair.

Chakotay glanced at himself in the mirror and saw what she meant. His hair was obscured in a fine layer of talcum power, as were most of his clothes. "You're right, a change of clothes too I think!" he laughed as he bent to kiss Aylen and Michael before rushing off.

By the time he was ready to go Seven had already dressed the twins in their warmest clothes, bundled them in blankets and strapped them securely into the double stroller. Chakotay looked at their tiny faces, peeking out from under woolly baby sized hats. He bent down to remove a layer but Seven spoke up, "If you remove even one item they're not going."

Chakotay rubbed the babies' heads in sympathy. "Sorry loves but your Mama seems to believe we live in Siberia."

"Your sense of humour is enviable." Seven responded sarcastically as she manoeuvred the stroller through the door.

As they walked down the path Seven realised that Chakotay had been right about going outside, it was good for them all to escape the confines of the house despite the cold. Chakotay was beaming in pleasure as he pushed the stroller and she could see Aylen and Michael curiously scanning everything around them with alert bright eyes. Their peaceful reverie was ended however when a neighbour, Mrs Fallon, approached them. Seven could feel herself tensing up already, the woman hadn't exactly hidden her disapproval of having a former Borg living so close. She came up to them with a brusque "Hello."

"Hello, how are you Mrs Fallon?" said Chakotay politely, giving Seven a nudge in the ribs with his elbow.

Seven felt his cue and said coolly, "Good Afternoon."

Mrs Fallon didn't acknowledge Seven, just answered Chakotay. "The doctor says I'm fine." She said shortly in a tone which said she didn't believe that to be the case. "You're still on leave?"

"I'm going back tomorrow." Chakotay told her.

"Really?" She indicated the twins, "They'll be going into day care then?"

"No. My maternity leave does not end until mid May." Seven informed her in irritation.

Mrs Fallon looked as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So you'll be alone with them?" she said, with a hint of incredulity.

I'm their mother, why shouldn't I be? Seven's thoughts raged, but a more civil reply, by her standards, left her lips. "Yes, during the day."

"Ah…well good luck." She said in parting, her voice putting emphasis on "good luck".

Chakotay squeezed Seven's hand without saying anything, but she continued to walk, pushing the conversation to the back of her mind.

The next couple of hours were a great deal of fun and relaxation, Chakotay knew he would pull these memories out and look at them fondly while he was stuck at work but soon enough the time came for them to go home. Seven rushed into the kitchen, her mind meticulously planning the night ahead. First the babies needed a bath to get rid of the grime gathered at the park, then they could be fed and put to bed and then she and Chakotay would hopefully share at least a couple of hours of quiet together, but she wasn't going to put any bets on it.

Seven spluttered as Aylen splashed a surprising amount of tepid water into her face. "I think that will do little daughter." She told Aylen in mock defeat as she lifted her out of the baby bath. "Can you help me Chakotay?"

Chakotay lifted his head from where he was dressing Michael and had quick enough reactions to hurriedly envelop Aylen in a big towel, laughing as he saw Seven's damp face. "Hey, count yourself lucky it's not talcum power!" he teased as he handed her a smaller towel.

Seven laughed too as she dried off and approached Michael who was beginning to whimper and fuss "I'm sorry baby, are you getting hungry?" she asked as she picked him up. In response he made a grab for her hairpins. She disentangled his grabbing fingers. "No, you're not eating my hair _again_. Wait for proper food." He stubbornly continued but since Seven had cottoned on to his habit of his and put her hair in its Voyager era style he soon gave up. "I hope he didn't swallow any."

"Aylen's been chewing my buttons and shirt sleeves no end. I don't want her to choke, do you think they're teething already?" Chakotay asked in concern.

Seven shook her head. "It's too early for that. They must just be curious."

"If that's the case it's going to be chaos when they start to walk."

Seven gave a small sigh, surely they would stay little for some time yet? She wasn't ready for them to grow up quite so quickly. Michael began to cry outright and Aylen soon joined him. "I think we still have time to adapt. Can you tidy up here while I feed them?" He nodded in agreement and helped her position them so she could carry both of them comfortably.

Some time later Seven was sitting in the large comfy chair in the nursery cuddling both of her now sleeping babies to her chest. She was glad they were still small enough to be able to cuddle both at the same time, though she knew it wouldn't last much longer. The inactivity and silence made her brain go back to the conversation with Mrs Fallon earlier in the day, would being left with her damage them, reduce their humanity in some way? The thought disturbed her deeply and she unconsciously pulled them closer but neither woke, just snuggled up even more. Her eyes focused on their sleeping faces, they were so innocent and trusting, what if their trust in her was misplaced?

At that moment Chakotay entered the room and as was her habit she relinquished them to him. He hugged them close and kissed them. "I'm going to miss you so much." He whispered as he laid them down in their cots. "I hope I'm not going to miss too much…" he said sadly before lightening his tone considerably as he turned to Seven. "I expect a daily progress report Crewman." He told her jokingly. Seven didn't move or speak, it was as if she hadn't heard him. He gently touched her arm in concern. "Hey, what's up?"

"Chakotay…do you trust me with them?" Seven asked shakily.

He stared at her perplexed. "What do you mean? It might be hard to cope the first couple of days alone, but I'm sure you'll get used to juggling both of them…"

"I…I do not mean their physical care, I mean their emotional development…"

He looked at her in blank horror for several seconds before realisation hit him. "Please don't tell me you're thinking about what Mrs Fallon said?" Her head lowered in confirmation. "Seven, that woman is a bigoted busybody. What she thinks about us is completely _irrelevant_, to use your terminology."

"But what if they act like me? Pick up some of my Borg habits?"

"They might. They're going to learn some bad habits from us, but they're also going to see and learn all the good habits and there are plenty of those. I trust you with them more than anyone else. You're the mother of my children not Mrs Fallon."

Seven felt a flicker of smile cross her face, "Even you don't have taste that bad."

He kissed her. "My taste is perfectly good…" He murmured huskily.

When he pulled back she said, "Do you really want a daily progress report?" He shot her a look. "I should know by now that you're never serious when you call me Crewman." She kissed him deeply before speaking again. "Let's go downstairs. We shouldn't be kissing in front of our children."

He pulled her up from the chair and held her. "I want our children to know that I love their mother."

"I love their father too." Seven murmured as they walked out of the nursery together.

**A/n: Another fluffy chapter, I hope you like it. I've been slow with my other stories, "Disunity" and "Lost and Found", but don't worry I'll update them next. I've just not been in the mood for angst and my week has been busy. Please review!**


	36. Chapter 36

Seven stood up, straightening her aching back as she emptied the contents of the vacuum. The sound she had been dreading echoed through the house, the twins crying in unison. Leaving what she was doing she entered the living room to find them whimpering in their playpen. "Babies, I'm here, I was only gone five minutes…" she told them in a tone which revealed her exasperation rather than being in any way soothing. They both gazed up at her, looking thoroughly unconvinced. Sighing she lifted them both out and sat on the floor beside them, pulling them close. "We're all tired today aren't we?" she said softly as Aylen huddled into her side and Michael put his thumb in his mouth. She already knew that if she left them to do necessary household tasks one or both of them would howl and she would need to carry them around with her in a very inefficient manner and her arms were already strained and struggling. She glanced down at them again, for the moment they looked contented and peaceful, but they'd been fussy and clingy all day no matter how many times she fed them or put them down for a nap they remained unsettled. It's your own fault, the logical voice in her brain reminded her, last night their schedule was put off and now they're as overtired and grumpy as their mother.

Seven smiled slightly to herself, the impromptu party for Chakotay's birthday last night had been fun but everyone had over stimulated the twins and after everyone had gone both she and Chakotay had been up half the night with them and since the party had been held here at home she'd spent the day clearing up the mess. At least Chakotay had appeared to enjoy it although he had said to her later he'd hardly seen her. She knew how he felt, since Chakotay had gone back to work three weeks ago it seemed as if they barely interacted with each other and she admitted to herself that she was missing him. The doorbell jerked her out of these rather melancholy thoughts and without thinking she rose to answer it, disturbing the twins who immediately started up a chorus of complaint. "Okay, okay, we'll all go to see who it is." She told them reassuringly as she picked them up. After a couple of minutes moving their weight around to free a hand to open the door she found Irene standing in the threshold. "Aunt Irene!" Seven exclaimed in surprise.

"Hello Annika dear. How are you?"

Seven stepped aside to allow her in. "Fine." She responded, but was unable to keep the tired sigh from her voice which Irene picked up on.

"Been a bit trying?" she asked sympathetically. Seven nodded her head slightly shamefacedly, after all nothing drastic had happened. "We all have days like that dear. Do you want me to take one of them?" Seven gratefully handed over Michael and shifted Aylen to a different position but Michael didn't like this new arrangement and grasped for Seven with a whine. Irene was surprised at the change in her normally easy going great-nephew. "What's wrong today Michael? Look what I've brought you!" She pulled out a soft ball which squeaked and he immediately giggled, forgetting his grumpiness.

"They've both been clingy today, won't let me out of their sight." Seven said by way of explanation as she led Irene to the living room and sat down.

"And let me guess, you have a lot you wanted to do today." Said Irene knowingly, tickling Aylen's face.

"Yes, well I had to clean up after Chakotay's birthday party last night…"

"You organised a party?"

"No…some former crewmates appeared spontaneously with cake and decorations."

"Was it fun?"

"Yes…" Seven said slightly cagily but Irene frowned at her and she was honest. "I was looking forward to a quiet night with him."

"You're lonely now that he's back at work?"

"No…not really, I have Michael and Aylen…"

Irene laughed. "That's not the same Annika, lovely darlings though the twins are."

Seven smiled at the compliment to the twins. "You're correct of course. Sometimes I feel that Chakotay and I are…"

"Like two ships crossing paths at night?" Irene questioned sympathetically.

Seven was puzzled by the analogy but after some thought decided it was apt. "Yes. Through no fault of his!" She clarified anxiously, not wanting her aunt to think that Chakotay was in any way purposely neglecting her. "We just haven't fully adapted yet."

"That's the thing about life, you've just adapted to something and something else you're unprepared for happens."

"Quite." Said Seven, although she secretly hoped this wasn't true. Aylen began to cry and Seven lifted her up. "I'm sorry Aunt Irene, I have to feed them and I haven't offered you anything…"

"Come now, I can use a replicator can't I? You just concern yourself with what your children need." With that Irene disappeared into the kitchen and Seven settled down to feed the babies.

Aylen and Michael were both asleep side by side on the couch by the time Irene reappeared with tea and biscuits. Setting down her load she said to Seven, "It's your anniversary soon isn't it?"

Seven swallowed the bit of biscuit she was chewing before answering. "In ten days, why?"

"I think I'm free for babysitting duty then, you and Chakotay could go out on a date."

"A date? But we're married; such things are no longer expected."

Irene couldn't stop herself from laughing, "Just because you're married doesn't mean you're banned from romance for the rest of your life!"

Seven was still struggling to understand. "No…but..."

Seeing that her comment hadn't got through to her niece, Irene tried a new tact. "Okay let's not call it a date; let's call it an anniversary dinner. An evening of alone time for you and Chakotay. The twins are almost five months old now, soon enough you'll be weaning them and going back to work and then they'll be teething, take the chance while you can."

"I would have to ask him…"

"Do that and call me." Said Irene, already confident of Chakotay's answer.

"Thank you Aunt Irene."

"No problem dear."

Her opportunity to ask Chakotay came later that night, after he was home and they had put the twins to bed. "How was your day?" Seven asked him as he sat down beside her on the couch.

"Good, good. Probably quite interesting too if I hadn't slept through most of it. Parker asked what I'd been drinking and I said nothing it's just baby hangover. How about you?"

"I spent most of the day cleaning and dealing with two overtired babies."

"Doesn't sound too promising."

"No it wasn't." She said with a wry smile as she turned to face him more fully. "It is our anniversary in ten days; do you want to go out?"

Chakotay stared at her, dumbstruck. "Yes…of course I do but what about a babysitter?" Seven had always refused to hire a babysitter and he was unsure of the reason for her sudden change of heart.

"My Aunt Irene said she'd come over."

"Really? You're all right with that?"

"Yes. Where do you want to go?"

Chakotay relaxed, wrapping his arms round her waist and kissing her. "Since it's your idea love, you should pick the place."

Seven blushed. "Technically it was Aunt Irene's idea."

"She's not going." He teased softly.

"I am not familiar with many restaurants here, perhaps we could go to the hotel where we got engaged and had our wedding reception."

"I think I know the place. That would be perfect." Seven beamed at him and he kissed her again.

The night of the 7th of April 2379 came quicker than they expected, Seven despite her plans to the contrary was still feeding the babies and putting them down to sleep when she heard Irene's arrival downstairs. "I'm sorry, I'm still settling them and then I have to get ready!" she shouted down.

"Don't worry!" Chakotay called back from the foot of the stairwell.

Seven allowed herself time to have a cuddle with each sleeping child before putting them in their cots and going hurriedly to her room to make herself presentable. After a nice relaxing hot shower she began the task of choosing a dress, she wasn't sure if any would suit her present dimensions. Her hands found a knee length silvery blue dress with a square neckline that she knew had once been one of Chakotay's favourites. Apprehensively she pulled on and looked at herself in the mirror, pleasantly surprised that it fitted and was still flattering, though perhaps not as loose as it once had been, obviously her natural silhouette was beginning to reassert itself after months of being hidden by baby weight. After drying her hair, leaving it hanging loose and putting on her pearl and aquamarine necklace and bracelet set she descended the stairs to where Chakotay and Irene stood waiting. Pleasure made a blush diffuse her cheeks as she registered Chakotay's reaction and she immediately went to him. "You look great." He whispered in her ear with a squeeze of waist before amplifying his voice as he said, "Ready to go?"

"Yes…" Seven started before reconsidering and turning to Irene. "I just fed them and they fell asleep. They shouldn't need fed again before I come back but if they do I prepared some bottles and put them in the refrigerator…"

Irene touched her arm gently. "Chakotay already told me all that dear. You just have fun and don't worry."

"Thank you."

"Yeah thanks Irene, we'll see you later." Said Chakotay warmly, carefully guiding Seven out the door before she thought of anything else to worry over, but as he started the car he saw Seven watching the house with an unreadable look on her face and reached over to squeeze her hand. "They'll be fine."

She flashed him an affectionate if wobbly smile. "I know."

Soon enough they were sitting in the restaurant of the hotel in which their reception had been held exactly one year earlier, gazing out of the window to the darkened starlit streets of Flagstaff below. They ordered their meal but conversation remained on work and children, the very subjects they'd wanted to leave behind at home. As their starters arrived Chakotay remembered a piece of news he had yet to tell Seven. "You know that Harry got his promotion?"

"To Commander? When did he get it?" Seven exclaimed, happy for her friend.

"He just got it in today; he called me at work, Commander to former Commander. We've not to tell anyone else yet though because it's not official yet."

"He certainly deserves the recognition. Wait, does this disrupt his wedding plans?"

"Yeah, it's been moved back to October."

"How did Deborah take that?"

"Well apparently. Harry said she always wanted a fall wedding. We've to keep the 6th of October free."

"He has chosen the right woman." Said Seven with a smile, knowing that most women would never have moved their wedding back three months. She looked over at him, "What is your assessment of _our_ first year of marriage?"

He took her hand. "Wonderful, fast paced…" Seven laughed. "…but wonderful."

"I concur." She murmured softly as she rubbed the back of his hand thoughtfully.

Chakotay looked around the room. "This place always reminds me of our engagement."

Seven was intrigued. "Why? We got engaged on the roof terrace."

"I know, but when we ate dinner here I had the ring in my pocket and I was considering my options when some guy proposed and you were embarrassed, I've never been so relieved and mortified at the same time…"

"You've never told me that! I thought your only aborted attempt was at the Grand Canyon."

"There too. I had to abort my mission several times."

"I'm glad you were finally successful."

"Me too, even more than I was then."

The rest of the evening passed in an even better fashion than either of them had anticipated and they left feeling more refreshed and happy than they had in weeks. Irene met the beaming flushed faces of the couple, giggling together as they came in the door, looking to Irene's experienced eyes like a pair of love struck teenagers. "Hi, the babies are asleep in the nursery. I'll be going home now. Did you have fun?" She asked even though their happy faces made the answer obvious.

"Yes we did." Said Chakotay, his arm tight round Seven's waist.

"Thank you Aunt Irene." Said Seven happily.

"How about we do this again next month? I just love spending time with my great-niece and nephew." Irene smiled at them knowingly.

Seven exchanged glances with Chakotay who nodded eagerly. "We would appreciate that Aunt Irene."

"Great! Goodnight then." She called as she went out then door.

"Goodnight!" said Chakotay and Seven in unison before smiling at each other as the door shut and going upstairs to the nursery.

Seven leaned over the side of the cot to see that Michael was as soundly asleep as his sister was and smiling as she looked at him, peaceful in dreamland. "It looks like we're going to get some more undisturbed time." Said Chakotay as he came up to her, holding her close as he looked over at his for now angelic son and daughter. "Two other good things to come out of our wedding hmm?"

"Yes." Said Seven as she looped her arms around his neck. "I am at the moment am nostalgic for our wedding night…" she whispered suggestively in his ear.

"Oh really?" His strong arms lifted her of the floor. "I'm always nostalgic for that sweetheart." He murmured huskily. She kissed him deeply and he carried her out of the nursery, closing the door behind him.

**A/n: Please review, I hope you liked it!**

**If anyone has any suggestions for Aylen and Michael's first words tell me! I'm slightly stuck for ideas even though it's a couple of chapters ahead. Thanks!**


	37. Chapter 37

"This could be the astronomy find of the find of the decade and you want to name it after _you_?"

"Well I found it didn't I?"

"Seven of Nine already knew about it…"

Seven straightened her back in attempt to appear alert while really wishing to stay out of the argument.

"Seven knows a lot of things she doesn't bother to tell us so it changes nothing…"

Seven somehow managed to suppress her sigh of relief when the argument between Dr Abbott and Dr Hallowell, the two most argumentative scientists at the Observatory, continued on without another mention of her. Normally she liked her work, but she dreaded the Monday morning meetings and all of the clashing of egos that entailed. Couldn't she have just been allowed to retreat to her office? It was her first day back at work after all and she had better things to do than argue about the naming of an unspectacular stellar phenomenon she had seen many times with the Collective. Why couldn't they just use the Borg designation she had given them? These irritated thoughts directed at her sometimes hapless colleagues quickly gave way to thoughts of home, as had all her other attempts to distract herself from the wrench she was feeling at separation from her twins. Were they eating properly? The rational part of her brain answered for her, yes they will be, you've fully weaned them now. She winced at the memory of those two difficult weeks of tantrums, discomfort and anxiety, relieved that she wouldn't have to do it again. Still she found herself longing to return to the loving grind of her maternal duties. Inwardly she was angered by her new found fickleness, for she had missed the mental stimulation of work while she was at home and now that she was back at work she thought of nothing but family!

"Today's meeting is over, you can return to your work." Said Dr Rosenberg, almost shouting to be heard over the continuing argument. Seven gratefully gathered up her data and returned to her office, slightly neglected after her months of maternity leave, and began to run her advanced new scans. As she waited for results to study her mind wandered back to the twins, would they be distant with her when she returned home?

Seven had rarely left work so eagerly as she had that day, making the walk home shorter than usual by greatly increasing her walking speed. Upon entering the house she didn't even pause to put her bag away, only hurriedly leaving it on the hook in the hall as the familiar babbling of two six and half month olds guided her to the living room. Chakotay was sitting on the floor, letting Aylen push her toys into his hands while Michael cheerily rapped his mother's wooden spoon, more commonly used as a cooking utensil, like a drum on the floor, giggling rapturously at the racket produced. Chakotay freed his hands from Aylen's with a laugh as he looked up at his wife. "Hi, you're home early. How was work?"

"Fine." Seven said, letting herself kneel on the floor to join them, Aylen and Michael immediately flinging themselves at her. Seven hugged them close, leaning her face against their small heads and kissing them in turn. "Mama missed you so much babies…" she murmured as Aylen smiled at her and Michael excitedly babbled a string of syllables. Catching Chakotay understands gaze she realised how irrational her earlier thoughts had been, of course they were fine and of course they remembered her. "What were you doing with them today?" she asked Chakotay.

"In the morning I took them to book them into the crèche at work, they'll take them every Wednesday like we planned. It was nice, you made a lot of new friends didn't you?" he addressed the twins.

"That's good. I think our plan is going to work well." Said Seven, her misgivings falling away.

"Yeah so do I. I really enjoyed having them all to myself, even though they've been running circles around me. I had to change their clothes twice."

Seven repositioned them in front of her. "So you've been taking advantage of Papa today have you?" she questioned them. Seeing Aylen chewing the label of her top she lifted her onto her lap. "Papa's put your top on back to front again!" Aylen knew the cue and immediately lifted her arms and Seven quickly took it off, Michael began to struggle with his own clothes, tugging at his t-shirt. "Not you Michael, your clothes are fine." Seven told him but he persisted.

Chakotay laughed as he took Michael's top off too. "You've got them well trained Seven! It's almost time to get them dressed for bed anyway."

A short time later after feeding them their evening meal and putting them in their sleepers, Chakotay and Seven put the twins to bed together but Seven hovered until they were fully asleep. She was unaware of Chakotay's presence until he squeezed her shoulder and said, "You still okay with both of us working part time?"

"It's very reasonable, they have at the least one of use everyday except Wednesday when we both work, you Monday and Tuesday, me Thursday and Friday and both of us at the weekend. It will be good for them."

"And us I think, hopefully we'll all get the best of both worlds."

"Hopefully. They're growing quickly aren't they?" said Seven softly, leaning heavily into his chest.

Chakotay sighed. "Yeah, scary isn't it?"

"Partly. I like watching them develop; through it's difficult to keep up with."

Chakotay kissed her tenderly, "Don't worry; I've been led to believe they'll need us for a long time yet."

A despondent wail sent a chill up Seven's back even in her regenerative state and her eyes shot open. She knew it was Aylen, but she had been sleeping through the night for weeks what could be wrong? She had such a bad feeling that she almost ran from the bedroom into the nursery, finding Aylen sitting up in her coat, her little face red and tear stained. As Seven rushed to her she glanced at Michael but saw that his only problem was being disturbed by his sister. "Baby, what's wrong?" she murmured, stroking Aylen's face but the baby continued to sob. Lifting her into her arms Seven was disturbed by how stiff she was, as if tense with pain. Worry became to eat at Seven's stomach as she rocked her back and forth and without further consideration carried her through to the bedroom.

Aylen's cries made Chakotay stir. "What's wrong?" he muttered into the pillow.

"I think Aylen is ill." Seven was upset by how weak and helpless her own voice sounded.

Chakotay instantly bolted upright and ordered the lights switched on before getting out of bed to look at the baby. "She looks flushed…"

"I believe she's in pain."

Chakotay's eyes darkened when he saw that Seven believed the statement and he took control while keeping his anxious eyes on the baby. "I'll go downstairs and call the Doctor; you get the medical tricorder and come down with her." Seven nodded and began searching through drawers still carrying Aylen while Chakotay checked on Michael and then ran downstairs.

Chakotay began to dial for the Doctor's office and then remembered that it was 2am on a Saturday and he would be at home with his girlfriend. After waiting an irritatingly long time as the phone rang out, a confused looking Doctor appeared just as Seven was coming downstairs with Aylen and the tricorder. "What's happened to make you call this early in the morning?" asked the Doctor somewhat grumpily.

"Aylen is unwell. You are a hologram, you can't sleep anyway!" snapped Seven, worry making her easily riled.

The Doctor looked at mother and baby, concern softening his features. "Try your best to stay calm and read out what the tricorder says." Chakotay did so and the Doctor thought for a moment. "Check her mouth."

"Her mouth? It's not the nanoprobes?" asked Seven. At the mention of the nanoprobes understanding flickered across the Doctor's face and Chakotay took hold of Seven's hand as he tried to prise Aylen's mouth open with the other.

"Come on angel open your mouth for Papa…" Chakotay encouraged gently, but she shrank back her face scrunching up even further as more tears leaked from her eyes. An idea suddenly hit Chakotay and he opened his own mouth wide. Aylen seemed to think about it for a minute before she opened her mouth a little way and her father peered in. "A bit of her gum is all red and swollen…"

"She's teething. This is normal, her scans are fine." Said the Doctor with confidence and satisfaction.

Seven glanced down at her daughter, who was snuffling against her, clinging for dear life. "She seems to be in pain…"

"Oh she will be. It's normal but it's painful and a baby doesn't understand that it's going to get better."

"Can you give her anything?" asked Chakotay, not willing to accept that they could do nothing.

"There's no treatment for it. All I can suggest is going to the pharmacy for some children's painkiller and preparing yourselves for some sleepless nights ahead."

Chakotay couldn't help but sigh. "Thanks Doctor." He said before ending the phone call and rubbing Aylen's face in sympathy. "Sorry poor baby…" He turned to Seven. "I'll get dressed and go to the 24 hour pharmacy in town okay?"

"Be careful."

"I will." He reassured her as he gave both her and Aylen a quick kiss.

Seven heard him leave as she sat cuddling Aylen on the couch, murmuring the most soothing things she could think of into the small ear. She was deeply relieved that it had nothing to do with the nanoprobes but that didn't reduce the emotional toll of helpless when her child was distressed.

The medicine did help soothe Aylen eventually but it was sunrise before she fell asleep and by the time Michael was waking. The strain was piled on further the next night when Michael decided to join his sister in the teething process, meaning that Seven and Chakotay had to split their attention between two upset sleep deprived babies. Chakotay tried reading to them, playing with them and feeding them. Seven just hugged them one at a time through the crying and while their parents fought to stay awake on the couch the twins tenaciously resisted sleep. "So…" Chakotay piped up about three hours in, "…is this worse than when we first go them home or am I just forgetting how bad that was?"

"That question is defunct, this is an entirely different situation which is occurring at the moment and past events are irrelevant." Seven replied irritably.

"Thank God it's Sunday tomorrow and we don't have to go to work." Muttered Chakotay.

"Agreed."

They endured three more nights of this before Seven noticed they were quite calm on Wednesday morning and checked their mouths, hardly daring to hope. "They each have a tooth through." She informed Chakotay happily.

"Great!" he exclaimed, giving each child a warm hug. "One down…"

"Nineteen to go." Said Seven grimly, bringing him back down to Earth with a hard thud. "They don't all come in at once." She assured him when she saw his face.

**A/n: Please review, I'm not sure about this chapter but I hope you like it.**

**I'll try to update "Disunity" tomorrow.**


	38. Chapter 38

"Seven catch them!" Seven turned from where she was washing dishes only to see Aylen moving remarkably fast on her small legs across the kitchen floor, Michael in hot pursuit and Chakotay following them, red faced and short of breath.

"I thought they were falling asleep!" she exclaimed as she joined her husband in the dreaded task of corralling a competitive pair of twins who had just discovered that running was more fun than walking and they'd only been doing that for less than two months.

"I thought so too, but they've had a second wind." Muttered Chakotay in exasperation as his arms just missed a giggling Michael. Seven had better luck, scooping Aylen up as she headed for a collision with the coffee table.

The phone began to ring loudly. "I'll answer that, you get Michael." Seven said. Chakotay sighed but nodded in agreement. Seven held Aylen securely on her lap as she sat by the phone, not wanting to add more difficulty to Chakotay's already unenviable task. Allowing Aylen to press the answer button as she liked to do, she was surprised when Harry Kim's face appeared on the monitor. "Good Evening Harry."

"Hi Seven, how are you? I was just calling to check that you got your invitation to the wedding."

"I am well. We received your invitation two months ago. I have made full arrangements for the trip to Boston." Harry felt relieved and Seven could see it on his face. "Is something wrong?"

"No! It's just Debbie's been nagging me to check if everyone's organised. Her family has been throwing up a stink about the arrangements."

"Why? It is in three weeks, there cannot be much left to complete."

Harry laughed. "You'd be surprised! Not everyone is as efficient as you Seven."

"I have discovered that to my chagrin." She replied drily, shifting in her seat to accommodate a wriggling Aylen.

Harry smiled at the little girl. "Hi Aylen, are you bored sitting there?" Aylen stared wide eyed at the screen and Harry's smile widened at getting her attention. "Did your Mama get you a pretty dress for the wedding?"

"Yes I did, you'll see it if she doesn't outgrow it by October 6th." Seven said warmly, appreciating his warmth with Aylen.

"They'll be almost one by then won't they?"

"Eleven months and one day." Seven answered precisely.

"I can't wait to see all of you, it feels like ages." Seven nodded in agreement. "Is Chakotay there?"

Seven listened for moment only to hear Michael cheery hyperactive laughter which told her Chakotay had yet to settle him. "He is…occupied at the moment. Do you require him to call you back?"

"No, not at all. We can talk again. I have to go Seven, I'll see you at the wedding?"

"Yes of course. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Seven. Bye Aylen." He was rewarded by a wide grin from the baby, now quiet and calm.

Meanwhile Michael had tired himself out and was sitting in the hallway when Chakotay, almost as tired himself, picked him up gently. "Come on son, time for bed."

Michael, despite drooping eyelids, still had some fight left in him as he wriggled. "No!" he said suddenly.

Chakotay almost dropped him such was his surprise for Michael had never spoken before. "What?"

Obligingly Michael repeated himself. "No."

Chakotay felt a wide smile begin to form. "You're talking!" This time he got no response from Michael but he ran through to where Seven was sitting with a drowsy Aylen. "Seven, Michael spoke!" he told her ecstatically.

Seven looked slightly sceptically at their decidedly sleepy looking son but gave Chakotay the benefit of the doubt. "Really? What did he say?"

"No. He said no." Said Chakotay unable to contain his enthusiasm as he brought Michael over to her.

Seven smiled at the child fondly, it did seem to suit his stubborn nature that his first word would be no. "What did you say to Papa baby?" He just yawned in reply. "You're tired. It's time for bed."

The mention of bed as in the first instance seemed to trigger him. "No…" he mumbled.

Seven felt her own smile grow to match Chakotay's and she tickled Michael gently. "Stubborn child." She said affectionately.

Michael's eyes now took on a mischievous glint. "No!" he exclaimed.

"Yes." Seven and Chakotay both told him in almost exact unison before starting to laugh at themselves. Aylen lifted her arms up with a whine at her brother getting all the attention and Seven picked her up and headed towards the stairs, Chakotay following. "I hope Aylen says something which lends itself to obedience rather always shouting "No!" at us." Seven said with a hint of humour in her tone as she tucked Aylen in.

"They're our kids, don't hold your breath!" Chakotay joked.

Aylen's first word didn't come until almost a full week after her brother's, who by that time had already learned "Mama", "Papa" and most important as one in a pair of twins, "mine", which he quickly developed a habit of reprimanding his sister with.

Seven was watching them as she cleaned the kitchen playing companionably with a set of coloured bricks when the doorbell rang. Sure that her thorough child-proofing had made it safe to leave them for a minute she walked through the house to the front door. "Kotay residence?" asked the delivery man politely as he extended the package and the pad for the signature.

"Yes." Seven replied hurriedly as she heard a wail echo from inside the house. Signing quickly she left the package on the table and ran anxiously to the source of the noise. What she saw stopped her in her tracks for a moment.

"Mikkal! Mikkal!" Aylen shouted in red faced frustration, struggling to climb over the stair gate. Seven immediately pulled her off, only to see Michael halfway up the staircase.

"Michael no!" cried Seven in fear, scrambling over the gate herself and scooping him up. As she reached a whimpering Aylen at the bottom, she sank down on the floor beside them, breathing hard after the fright they'd given her. Arranging them in front of her she said firmly, "That is wrong. Do not go upstairs." Michael went closer to his sister but she moved away from him, obviously still annoyed at being left behind in their joint adventure.

"Aywen…" he whined, to Seven's by now amused ears sounding remorseful.

"Mikkal." Stated Aylen slightly grumpily but allowed him to sit next to her again.

Seven began to smile at their interactions, lifting Aylen onto her lap. "So your first word is "Michael" then? Your Papa's going to be disappointed, I think he wanted you to say "Papa" first."

"Papa?" Aylen and Michael said in unison, picking up on the only interesting thing in her sentence.

"Yes, Papa will be home soon." She told them indulgently, as she stood up and brushed herself off. "But for now Mama's got to replicate a new stair gate."

"So when do you want to leave for Boston tomorrow? I managed to get the day off." Chakotay asked Seven as he cleared the table after their evening meal.

"Well if that's the case perhaps late afternoon so we can put the twins down the hotel so that they're refreshed for the wedding the next day…"

"Dwink!" Aylen suddenly called from her highchair.

"Yesh!" said Michael in agreement as Seven went to make their cups of juice.

Chakotay looked over at them. "What's the magic word?"

"Pwease." Both of them replied, used to their parents' tactics.

As Seven handed them their cups she was met by "Tank you" from both of them.

Seven smiled in encouragement. "Correct. Well done."

"Cowwect." Seven flushed at them both repeating such a Borg sounding word, her eyes immediately going to Chakotay who was practically doubled over with laughter.

"Don't encourage them to say such things!" she said hotly.

He looked up and saw that Seven was genuinely upset. " Seven, it was cute…"

"It's not cute!" she shot back.

"Come here." Reluctantly she approached him and he put his arms round her waist. "Listen, I promise you it won't do them any harm…"

"I don't want them to sound like me, they're not Borg…"

"Neither are you, and they never will be, God willing…" He kissed her as she leaned on him heavily. "There's worse people they could sound like than the mother who loves them and whom their father loves deeply…" Seven stopped him by kissing him tenderly and sinking further into his hold. At that moment the doorbell rang. As Seven pulled back slightly Chakotay's grip tightened. "Just ignore it…" he told her huskily, but it kept going and Seven stepped back.

"I'll send them away." She reassured him before turning and walking to the front of the house, opening the door to a shock. "Admiral…"

**A/n: I was going to keep going but my hands are sore and I want to update! I hope it's okay and doesn't overdo the cutesiness to the point of sickening (It is cute right?). Please review!**


	39. Chapter 39

"Hello Seven." Said Admiral Janeway pleasantly. Seven just stared at her for a moment, standing there in her ubiquitous Starfleet uniform, the mentor she hadn't seen or heard from in almost a year.

"You have returned from the Gamma Quadrant?" Only after she'd uttered these words did Seven realise how cold and strained they sounded.

The Admiral winced slightly at Seven's lack of greeting but answered her anyway. "Temporarily. You didn't consider me lost did you?" Seven's face creased in a small frown, the Admiral's contact had been nonexistent, what did she expect them to think? "I couldn't miss Harry's wedding now could I?"

Seven, not registering that the question was rhetorical said quietly, "No, that would have been a great disappointment for him I'm sure."

The Admiral nodded, "Aren't you going to invite me in?" Seven fought a flush of embarrassment at being directed in that way as she silently stepped aside to allow her into the hallway, the Admiral seemed to have forgotten she was no longer the frightened child-adult she had salvaged six years before.

Meanwhile Chakotay stood in the kitchen awaiting Seven's return either alone or with a guest. He heard the door close but she didn't return. "Aunt?" questioned Michael from his place in his highchair.

"No I don't think it's your Great Aunt Irene." Chakotay told him, seeing visible disappointment flicker across their faces for they adored their great aunt. He cast his eyes through the door but saw no one approaching, "Come let's go see who it is." Aylen clapped her hands in excitement and Michael struggled to get out of his highchair. Hurriedly Chakotay set them down on the floor, allowing them to rush ahead.

Michael bounded down the hallway, making himself known to both his mother and the Admiral but any excitement left his little face as soon as he saw the stranger and he bolted back, burrowing his head in his mother's skirt. "Mama…" he mumbled fretfully.

Seven cast the Admiral an uncomfortable apologetic glance. "He's always shy…" she explained lamely, this was true, her mischievous active son was also the shyer of her two children but the Admiral didn't know that. Just then Aylen rounded the corner, immediately stopping in her tracks and staring at the Admiral with round eyes but thankfully did not go to her mother as Michael had, instead staying where she was.

"Kathryn?" Chakotay's shocked exclamation filled the small hallway as he came in behind his daughter and saw the Admiral.

"Hello Chakotay."

"The Admiral has returned temporarily for Harry's wedding." Seven explained softly, her gaze travelling to Chakotay who gave her a grateful look for the information the Admiral herself seemed in no hurry to give.

"That's great." Said Chakotay with as much graciousness as he could offer, though it was spoken rather stiffly. "Let's go sit down shall we?" Seven and the Admiral both nodded and Chakotay made his way back to the kitchen, Aylen toddling at his feet. Seven tried to encourage Michael to walk but he just sat down on the floor clinging to legs so she had to carry him.

She tried to put him down again but he pressed his face into her neck just as Aylen too clutched the hem of her dress. "This is Michael and this is Aylen." She introduced awkwardly, indicating them to her as she pointed their faces towards the Admiral.

"I can see that." Said the Admiral with a small upturn in her lips, even in a crowd of toddlers she would have been able pick them out. Aylen was Seven in miniature, complete with the unnerving blue-eyed gaze, only the shock of inky black hair and occasional sighting of one of Chakotay's expressions marked her out as her father's child. Michael meanwhile was a more even mixture, facially he looked like Chakotay, though perhaps slightly finer boned, his hair was already thick and chocolate brown in colour, his eyes were hazel, brown with flecks of blue and green, they appeared amber in some lights. Chakotay felt himself bristle despite himself, if you'd been here or even bothered to call us, Seven wouldn't need to tell you! He thought angrily.

Seven gave Michael to Chakotay and quickly served the Admiral a cup of coffee which she sipped gratefully, giving Chakotay and Seven a chance to formulate what to say. When the cup was finally lowered and she just looked around the room with a critical appraising eye, Seven spoke up. "Your mission is going well Admiral?"

"I'd give you my report but it's classified." She quipped. "No, everything's going as well as could be expected…Has Icheb graduated yet?"

Seven started at the abrupt change of subject. "He will graduate as an Ensign on the 27th of June 2380."

"Next year…good. Any idea where he wants to be posted?"

"He has had many requests for his expertise."

"I thought so. Would he consider the Gamma Quadrant do you think?"

So that's why you're here! Chakotay mentally exclaimed but kept his expression passive as he saw Seven swallow. "I am uncertain…perhaps you should ask him yourself, he'll be at Harry's wedding."

"I might just do that. Is Harry nervous?" Again another change of subject but this time Seven was relieved; she didn't want to talk about Icheb, the idea of a Gamma Quadrant assignment for him even with the Admiral made her uneasy.

The conversation moved to the better pastures, old colleagues and memories, before long Seven realised that it was beyond the twins' bedtime and their little heads were droopy with sleep. "Excuse me please Admiral, I must put Aylen and Michael to bed."

The Admiral nodded but Chakotay interrupted, "I'll help you Seven…"

"No, no it's fine." Seven replied, carefully lifting Michael to join Aylen in her arms.

As Seven skilfully soothed Aylen after the movement woke her, the Admiral cast her eyes around the kitchen and the connecting living room. The whole space was child orientated, cheerily littered with toys and other necessary paraphernalia. She looked up at Seven again, "I must say Seven I never envisioned you being so…domestic."

Seven wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not but decided to take as such. "Being _domesticated_ as you call it has certainly been one of the enjoyable adaptations I've made in my life." She said firmly looking at her from over the babies' heads before leaving the room and heading for the stairs.

Chakotay mentally cheered his departing wife, he couldn't believe that was the only thing Kathryn had said even alluding to the twins' existence and it had to be a thinly veiled barb. He couldn't think of a civil word to say to her at that moment but she spoke for him. "She's coped better than I thought she would."

"Seven has a habit of exceeding your expectations." He replied, not hiding his pride in Seven from her.

"Yes, it would seem so." She gracefully conceded taking a sip of her third cup of coffee. "There was a time where I had higher expectations than you did."

Chakotay felt his hackles rise, "What exactly do you want Kathryn? You cut us off for nearly a year and then turn up on our doorstep unannounced…"

"You always see an ulterior motive; it must be all those years with the Maquis. My mission in the Gamma Quadrant is floundering; I need better people, people I can trust. You and Seven could easily…"

"Wait, you want us to come to the Gamma Quadrant with you? What makes you think we'd do that?"

"Neither of you are fulfilling your potential here, in part time work playing house and happy families…"

"We_ are _a happy family! I can't see what makes you think otherwise! As for potential, I think Seven's willing to forsake that for a peaceful family life, it's not as if she'd had much of one before!"

"If she feels that way she can remain here, you can come and Icheb can take her post. It would be at least six months but your children are still young. The only condition Starfleet makes is that you completely recant your time with the Maquis…"

"Kathryn have you learned _anything _about me in nine years?" Seven halted on the stairs having heard the part about Chakotay being away for six months, frozen with apprehension before common sense drove her down to stop the rift behind her husband and mentor growing any wider.

Chakotay felt Seven's hand on his arm. "Admiral, we are all tired but we will see you at the wedding won't we?" She said with calm conviction.

"Of course Seven, I'm sorry." She gave Chakotay a significant look. "I'll see you then. Goodnight, I'll see myself out." As soon as they heard the door close they retreated together to their bedroom.

Seven stroked his face as she sat down beside him on the bed. "Please explain my love."

"She wanted us to go to the Gamma Quadrant, said we weren't living up to our potential, and suggested we uproot our lives, our _children_…"

"I cannot do that. I would not be happy with the children in space, it's neither safe nor stable and I would not leave them…"

"I know…"

"If you feel unfulfilled here I would not…prevent your leaving…if that is what you wish…" Seven whispered thickly, already anticipating her loneliness for him.

He pulled her against him. "There's no way in hell that I'm leaving you or the kids here! I don't even want to go, it's not an option!"

Seven felt herself relax. "I am deeply relieved…"

"I know my love…" He murmured, kissing her face and throat.

"My potential is irrelevant. I am working less but living more." She told him emphatically. "If the Admiral had a family unit perhaps she would understand…It is useless attempting to analyse her actions isn't it?" she ended with a sigh.

"It certainly is." He said, rubbing her back.

Seven shifted until she was fully cocooned in his arms, suddenly desperate to be as close to him as possible. "I'm glad you wouldn't go, I would have struggled to function without you…"

"The feeling is mutual. Let's leave it in the past."

"Agreed, but I believe we were kissing before she came, can we revisit that?" she teased.

He kissed her cheeks then her lips. "Which part?"

"We have all night." She pointed out, kissing him deeply

"I like the way you think Seven of Nine." He said rather breathlessly before turning the lights off with a single command.

**A/n: I hope this is okay, please review! Hope it wasn't too smutty at the end but they needed something to boost their moods!**


	40. Chapter 40

Seven's eyes creaked halfway open at the incessant buzzing sound, what was it? Irrelevant, her sleepy brain answered and she buried herself even further into Chakotay's arms, pressing her face against his chest, feeling it vibrate as he groaned, "Turn that thing off…"

She almost responded "What thing?" but then realisation hit her, the alarm clock! The one she'd set last night before the Admiral arrived to ensure an early rise for going to Boston. Despite her enviably comfortable position sleep was banished with that knowledge and she shifted back to give herself space to speak. "We have to get up my love…"

He pulled the section of duvet she'd freed closer. "Why?"

"To get ready for the wedding." She explained patiently, her husband wasn't a morning person especially after a night like last night.

He rolled over onto his stomach and hid his face in his pillow. "We've already had our wedding…" he said, his voice muffled.

Seven's rare but sweet laugh rang out. "I'm glad you remember!"

Fully awake now, Chakotay pulled her against him and pressed his lips to her ear, playing with the tousled gold hair that rested between his fingers. "How could I forget when it comes with such great benefits?"

She felt her lips curving into a smile. "True, but it doesn't change the fact that at the moment we must get up."

"Boston will still be there…" he reminded her in a low whisper as his lips found her shoulders, neck and throat.

"The wedding won't be…" she muttered in faux grumpiness as her body relaxed, sighing half in pleasure and half in irritation at how easily he could sidetrack her. Silently admitting defeat she leaned over and turned the alarm clock off but within two minutes excited babbling echoed through from the nursery.

Chakotay lay back with a sigh, "We really should market those two as self-setting alarm clocks." Seven knew from his tone that he was teasing, could see his wide smile from the corner of her eye as she lifted her legs over the side of the bed.

"The most effective in the galaxy." She joked as she threw on her dressing gown and hurriedly departed.

Late that afternoon Chakotay was standing in the hall by two full suitcases and two wriggling newly eleven month olds in their stroller. Losing patience he called through, "Seven, what are you doing? You're the one who wanted to be there early." When he got no response he walked into the kitchen to see Seven putting toys in a holdall. "You've already stuffed two suitcases to breaking point…" he started incredulously.

Seven inspected another toy and put it in before answering. "They need to be kept entertained or else they will become disruptive."

"It's in a hotel, they'll have toys! We'll be back the day after tomorrow anyway."

"Don't you remember at our wedding when Miral crawled under the tables at the reception eating crumbs off the floor?"

Chakotay thought for moment as a flashback of Tom and B'Elanna frantically lifting up table covers, much to the mirth of everyone else. "Okay, take them." Seven lifted the heavy bag with a triumphant look, glad at getting him to see sense.

They arrived too late in the day to even take in the hotel let alone the unfamiliar city, eating late night room service after having getting the twins to sleep in the strange cots proved to be a much harder task than they had anticipated. The morning proved less arduous and they decided to look around the city before getting dressed and ready as the ceremony itself wasn't until sundown. As they made their way into the lobby they were met by Harry, Tom and B'Elanna. Chakotay was quick to offer their congratulations, shaking the younger man's hand firmly. "Congratulations Harry, everything seems to be going well."

"Yeah it does, I only hope it continues." Said Harry with nervous cheer.

"I don't see why not, the staff here seem quite efficient." Seven commented in an attempt to calm him, receiving a smile in return.

"Have you seen the Admiral yet?" Harry asked both of them.

The couple both tensed but it was Chakotay who shook his head and replied. "No, not yet."

"She's been acting a little…off." B'Elanna said in a cautious, confiding tone.

"We don't see her for a year and then she just turns up, not that I didn't want her to come. It's just not like her." Harry said anxiously.

Tom cleared his throat. "Well, I've heard her mission may not be going so well. Her convoy lost some ships; Dad told me the Government's getting antsy, doesn't want Starfleet stirring anything up, not so soon after the Dominion War."

"Maybe she's depressed? Our phone call from her was so weird. She wanted us to up sticks and help her…needs trustworthy people she said." B'Elanna said quietly.

Seven shifted uneasily, never comfortable with speculation even if it was well-meaning. Chakotay loosened her grip on the handle of the stroller and squeezed her hand. "Are you considering going?" Harry asked apprehensively.

"Hell no! We're not the Hansens…" B'Elanna flushed in embarrassment and turned guilt filled eyes to Seven's but saw nothing but understanding in hers. "No offence Seven…"

"None taken B'Elanna." She paused for a moment, glancing at Chakotay. "We used the same reasoning." She said quietly, but her expression told them she didn't want to be questioned and they didn't, dropping the subject entirely.

Tom was thankfully good at changing the subject and did so now, approaching the twins' stroller. "They're so big now. When's the birthday party?"

"Birthday party? They won't remember." Said Seven, the thought of throwing one having never occurred to her.

"But you will! Miral's was fun, don't you remember?"

"Yes of course…" Seven threw a questioning look at Chakotay and immediately got a nod of approval. "It will be on November 5th."

"Great!" Tom said enthusiastically and this new vein of conversation banished all thoughts of the Admiral from their minds for the time being.

Seven stood up from her place at the edge of the bed, smoothing the skirt of her jade green silk dress as she glanced out of the window. The sun was already low and the ceremony wasn't due to start for another half hour. It seemed impractical to plan your whole wedding around the setting of the sun when such a thing was uncontrollable but it was apparently what Deborah wanted. As she adjusted the straps in front of the mirror she saw Aylen watching her. "Pwetty." She commented.

Seven crouched down, stroking her face. "Thank you baby, you're pretty too." Aylen gave her mother a toothy grin as Seven fluffed out the skirt of her lilac dress and repositioned her matching headband, kissing her as she did so.

"Mama!" exclaimed Michael, lifting his arms up to her.

Seven laughed softly and kissed him too. "Don't worry Michael, you look handsome." He did in a cute baby way, in his little dress shirt, trousers and shoes.

"Did I hear you calling someone handsome who isn't me?" Chakotay chuckled behind her.

Seven turned to see him fully decked out in his suit, a sight very pleasing to the eye. "Don't worry you don't have to worry about him." She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Looks just like his Papa."

His eyes travelled down her figure. "Great dress…" he said appreciatively.

"I thought you'd think so." She replied, pleased at his reaction. "Are you ready to go?"

"When you are." He bent down to the twins. "Who's going to be my escort tonight?" he asked, arms open. Aylen was the faster mover and Chakotay lifted her up. Michael's face instantly crumpled. "Michael, Papa needs you to look after Mama, keep all the men from pestering her." As soon as Michael realised he wasn't being left out he went happily into his mother's arms and they all left together.

The ceremony site, sheltered by the bright flame coloured canopy of trees, was headed by a simple arch with gold coloured chairs facing it. As Seven and Chakotay found a place, they noticed Harry by the arch, white faced and shaky, beside a jovial Tom doing best man duties once again. The minutes dragged on as they waited from the bride, Seven tugging a flimsy wrap around her shoulders in a futile attempt to keep out the cold breeze as Chakotay pulled out an emergency toy for Aylen and Michael, bored and past their normal bedtime. Then just as the setting sun was at the peak of its beauty, Miral the flower girl in a crimson dress with a flame coloured bow appeared, haphazardly littering rose petals wherever she wished before being followed by a bridesmaid in the same colour scheme. As she finished her walk the bride, breathtakingly graceful in a champagne strapless dress descended to meet and Harry, whose nervous look was completely gone. Seven sought out Chakotay's hand as the registrar began and he kissed it quickly as they exchanged a soft glance. "Do you Harry Kim take Deborah Clarke to be your lawfully wedded wife…"

After settling the twins in the room with the hotel childminder, taking a monitor with them and declaring one would visit every half hour just in case, Seven and Chakotay went down to the reception in the ballroom, even in this large space the number of guests made it seem claustrophobic even to Chakotay, let alone Seven who felt her dislike of crowds assert itself in full force. Despite this the evening itself soon became very enjoyable until that is Seven was left alone as Chakotay went to check on the twins and Icheb approached her, standing tall in his cadet's uniform. "Icheb, please join me." Seven said happily, though she had seen him throughout the night it wasn't the type of party suited to conversation.

He sat on the seat nearest her, looking apprehensive. "Seven may we discuss something?"

"Of course."

Icheb decided to get straight to the point. "The Admiral has offered me a position; I know that you and Chakotay did not desire to go but…"

"You do." Seven stated. She had had a feeling this would happen.

"Yes." He told her honestly. "I can be of great use, the Borg know much about the Gamma Quadrant…"

"I know, it is a volatile place." She murmured.

Icheb swallowed. "That is why we must spread the Federation's message." He said firmly. Seven smiled at his conviction. "I would not be leaving until after my graduation next year and I don't believe I'll be in action straight away, I would be studying the wormhole on Bajor or Deep Space Nine for a year…"

Seven nodded, relieved. A Federation space station. He would be safe there. "That would be interesting." She said sincerely, even the Collective didn't fully understand wormholes.

"And when I go I can look after the Admiral, she seems strained…"

"Look after yourself first!" She replied, eyes flashing, earning a confused look from Icheb. "I…I'm sorry. I know that you will, you are an adult and I trust your judgement. Your Starfleet training has you well prepared for life…"

Icheb smiled softly. "Starfleet has prepared me to be able to fill my duties. _You_ have prepared me for life Seven."

Seven sighed in resignation as she leaned over the two cots, stroking each of the twins with one hand as they lay soundly asleep, their faces relaxed and contented. She felt Chakotay's hand on her shoulder. "I heard about Icheb. Are you alright?"

"Yes. I trust him."

"So you should, you've done so well with him. He'll be fine." He paused as he saw a tear slide down her cheek and automatically rubbed away with his thumb. "Talk to me."

"He's nineteen now, he'll be twenty before he goes, I know he's an adult and I should let him go and I have but…I won't be able to for Aylen and Michael…I know I won't…"

He swallowed. "I can't imagine that right now…" he told her honestly. "But the time will come when we show our love by letting them grow and it'll be different then because they'll be ready, like Icheb's ready now." Seven sighed as she nodded and leaned into his shoulder. He looked over at the twins. "We're still very much in the baby parenting stage. We get to hold on for a while yet." Seven gave him a long gentle kiss, the worry for Icheb still there but her heart calm.

The Doctor looked up from his desk to see Seven entering with the twins in a stroller. "Hi, have you been feeling okay since I saw you a month ago? You look tired."

"My energy reserves are low, Chakotay says I'm working too much on the party." She said as she parked the stroller by the biobed and hopped on.

The Doctor smiled at the twins as he scanned them. "I got my invitation. This Friday right?"

"You are correct. Are they healthy?"

"Perfectly. Now let's check you shall we?" He ran the scan and almost choked, yes he'd been expecting this on some level, had even planned for it, but so soon? He thought for a moment how to break the news, remembering her reaction last time. In a careful soft tone he said, "You're going to be a mother again Seven."

She turned pale, he had expected that, swallowed and went completely still before a somewhat dazed smile flicked quickly across her features as her eyes sought out the twins. "Chakotay was right. We're going to be baby parenting for the foreseeable future."

**A/n: 40 chapters! I hope you're not bored! PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!**


	41. Chapter 41

The Doctor gave her a relieved smile at her words but Seven barely noticed, her mind stuttering with shock but after several seconds questions began to form. "How far along am I?"

"This scan says you're four weeks today."

Four weeks! How was that even possible? Her precise memory answered for her, the night of the Admiral's visit. Here she was with a photographic memory and still when she got carried away she forgot even basic precautions! The small burst of anger quickly faded, it was too late to do anything about it now, they would just have to cope with the repercussions of their actions. "I haven't been feeling nauseous; I experienced it much earlier with the twins…" Fear prickled at her, was there something wrong with this new pregnancy?

The Doctor though looked relatively relaxed. "There's evidence to suggest morning sickness can be worse with twins but every pregnancy is different, as individual as every baby. It may still come."

Seven hoped not, she couldn't afford to be crippled with vomiting, not with two inquisitive toddlers to watch over. "I suppose I will need to take the anti-assimilation drug from now on?"

The Doctor walked calmly over to his private lab which adjoined the office. "Yes but in expectation of this I've refined it considerably and I've got an idea on how to improve its administration…"

"You _expected_ this?" Seven said with terse incredulity, her head snapping round to look at him.

He sheepishly bowed his head out of her direct gaze. "Well, you and Chakotay always struck me as a couple who would try again…but I didn't expect you to have them in such quick succession…"

"Neither did we." She replied tightly as she stopped Michael's curious fingers becoming trapped in the folding mechanism of the stroller. As she held his small hand, she imagined him as a baby again and negative feelings towards the pregnancy dissipated. "You were saying Doctor?"

"Yes, I've come to believe that I've made the drug more manageable, hopefully your implants won't degrade so drastically, meaning you can get closer to term…"

Seven swallowed as her mind transported her back to the NICU and had to reassure herself that the twins were fine by pulling the stroller closer. No, she would do anything to avoid a repeat of that experience. "Do as you wish."

He pulled out a small device. "I'm going to use this; it will pump small regulated doses of the drug into your bloodstream twenty four hours a day. This should put off bed rest for as long as possible, if my theory is right."

"I'll still need to go on bed rest?" How was that going to be achievable? The twins needed her.

"It's probably unavoidable; the twins put double the strain on you but even with one and my new techniques…"

Seven could tell he was becoming anxious and nodded in resignation, another disruption for the family. "Insert the device." She ordered.

"Lie on your side." She did so, unable to stop the wince as the connecting tubes and wires pierced her skin. Aylen's eyes wobbled like rippling pools of clear water as frightened sobs began to shake her small frame.

"Mama! Oww…" she wailed inconsolably, while Michael threw his best attempt at a glare in the Doctor's direction.

"Shh Aylen. Mama's fine…" Seven murmured softly, but Aylen was by now too wound up to be so easily comforted. When the Doctor gave her permission she sat up and lifted Aylen out of the stroller and onto her lap, showing her the device. "It doesn't hurt baby, don't be upset…" A white lie, the area was tender and the drug was already sending mild pain through her implants.

The Doctor approached Aylen who sank against Seven, frowning resentfully. "Aylen this is my magic box. It's helping Mama I promise."

Aylen stared at him for a moment before turning her face back to her mother. "Iss." Seven kissed her cheek obligingly, understanding her mispronunciation but she shook her head. "Iss betta."

Seven was perplexed for a moment before she remembered how Chakotay always soothed their cuts and bruises. "Oh, kiss better. If you wish." She directed Aylen to a spot far from the device, tolerated the wet touch and then hugged her tight. "There, all better. Thank you Aylen." Clipping her back into the stroller, she prepared to go before turning back to the Doctor. "Anything else?"

He handed her a few vials of the drug and a familiar emergency beacon. "Same rules as before, if anything doesn't feel right come back." Seven nodded, her fingers closing over the beacon. Please let it go unused, she hoped inwardly. The Doctor must have seen the fear in her eyes for he squeezed her shoulder in a fatherly fashion. "Congratulations Seven. I'm expecting another birthday party next July if all goes well."

Seven gave a real if somewhat wobbly smile for the first time since the news had sunk in. "It will." It has to, she added silently as she left.

As she took each of the twins out of the stroller and packed it away as they played in the living room, she couldn't help thinking how they were going to transport this new arrival, a three-seater was unlikely to fit through the doorway. For a moment she marvelled at herself. How could she be thinking of such things now? It seemed so trivial in the scheme of things. It is preferable to panic, she reasoned as she ascended the stairs to her bedroom and began to search through her wardrobe, pulling out a box marked maternity wear. Spreading a top out in front of her she was shocked at the size, glancing ruefully in the mirror at her for now trim figure. Hurriedly she packed it back up, that's a long way away yet, she rationalised in complete self denial. As she replaced it her hand found an outgrown newborn outfit of Michael's. She fingered it with a lump in her throat, remembering when it had appeared ludicrously big for his tiny body. Her hand travelled semiconsciously to her abdomen. Please don't frighten me like that baby, she thought silently. She smiled at her own sentimentality, there was nothing for it, she would need to adapt for she loved this unknown child already.

Chakotay arrived home punctually that night, part of her longed to tell him but a larger part dreaded it and was intensely glad that the medicine pump was invisible under her clothes, so for a time she convinced herself to put the task off but after the evening rush had eased and he was relaxing on the couch, twins playing at his feet, she knew she had to tell him. He looked up at her questioningly as she stood silent and apprehensive before him, twisting her hands in a very un Seven like manner and took a deep breath. "Chakotay, the Doctor has informed me…" another deep breath, "…that we're going to have another baby." He snapped to attention, his breathing seemed to stop for an impossible amount of time, his dark eyes huge and staring. She nodded in confirmation and he got up with unnatural speed and embraced her tightly, but it was without its normal warmth, more akin to clinging to a life preserver, his face pressed into her shoulder. Unease nibbled at Seven's heart but her mind dismissed it, reminding her that he didn't seem angry. "I'm four weeks along…"

She didn't get any further. "Let's go and get the twins ready for bed." He suggested suddenly yet firmly, letting her go without looking her in the face, immediately turning to the twins. Maybe we'll discuss it later, she thought but the cold feeling gripping her heart told her otherwise.

What if the twins' care deteriorates because of this? What if I don't have enough love to give three children what they need and deserve? Seven rolled on to her back, perhaps she should give up on sleep and start her regeneration cycle early, that would be an escape from these thoughts. She remained where she was, not having the will to move. How was she supposed to coordinate the schedules of a newborn and two twenty month olds, as the twins would be if their sibling was full term? What had she been thinking being even remotely happy about this development? Chakotay wasn't happy, she was certain of that now; he had avoided her all night. Even now, in bed, his back was turned on her. Her hand found his back, which was tense and wakeful, he wasn't asleep either. This knowledge made a lump of tears rise in her throat but she choked them back. "You're not happy about the baby?" she whispered, managing to keep her voice level.

Chakotay kept his eyes on the wall for a moment but the way she asked the question of him, with no resentment, more as if she was stating a fact, broke his heart and he rolled over to face her. "Seven…"

He could see her eyes glistening in darkness, her turmoil was more than he'd supposed. "I know it will be difficult but I will try to maintain my performance as a mother…"

His hands clenched in guilt. "Seven, I could never doubt your love and care for our children. That won't change no matter how many children we have."

"Then why are you worrying?" As far as Seven was concerned that _was_ the only major worry. She stroked his face. "I feel the same way about you my love…"

He laughed slightly. "Oh Seven, I'm not worried about how we'd cope once the baby was here, though with three under two it would be a challenge…I'm worried about now…"

"But nothing is amiss right now."

"You're pregnant! Do you know how close you came to dying last time?" he exclaimed, his voice hot with emotion.

"The Doctor is hopeful, were you not listening when I told you of his new approach?"

"I heard and understood every word of it…but…but you nearly bled to death last time…were in a coma for weeks…you suffered so much…"

"Do not be afraid for me. I am willing to take the risk." She murmured as soothingly as she could.

"I know that you are, but I want the children we love so dearly to have a mother at the end of it all…"

"They will and a father. We can never predict what's going to happen, we have to take risks for the best things in life, you taught me that! If you hadn't we wouldn't be here!" Allowing time for her words to sink in, she wrapped her arms firmly round his cold body.

After several hushed minutes Seven was surprised by a sudden sweet kiss but soon responded accordingly. "I'm glad you trusted me then and I'll trust you now darling don't worry. I want this baby but I still don't understand how it happened, we've been very careful…"

"Not the night the Admiral came to visit."

His hand came to rest on her stomach. "Well, at least something good came of that." He said with sincere emotion. "Girl or boy? Have you got an inkling?"

"No. It has already been decided. We will find out soon enough. Either way we don't have to worry about buying clothes."

"It can have _some_ new clothes Seven. I don't care we have experience with both, that's one of the good things about twins."

"I highly doubt it will be twins again. The odds are…"

Chakotay held her hand as he cut her off. "Seven you won't be able to sleep if you do those odds, we'll be happy with whatever comes." That said they settled into contented sleep, not free of worries but in full loving acceptance of what was to come.

**A/n: Hi, I hope Chakotay wasn't out of character, tell me when you review. I will update "Disunity" before I update this again. I haven't forgotten about "Lost and Found" either but I'll probably finish "Disunity" and have the baby born in this before I go back to it. Thanks for your patience and support.**


	42. Chapter 42

Seven shifted uncomfortably in the chair and pushed the plate of dry crackers away across the table as she took another sip of peppermint tea but the nauseous sensation did not abate. With a sigh she set the cup down again and refocused her gaze on the slow steady rainfall hitting against the window, the only sound reverberating through the silent house. She should start work, she had a great deal to prepare for the party later, but she knew that at that moment her body, caught in the throes of the first trimester, wouldn't be very cooperative with her schedule. She glanced somewhat reproachfully down at her deceptively flat stomach; couldn't you have held these symptoms off for one more day until your elder siblings' party was over? She thought drily to her unborn baby. She hoped none of the guests noticed, the situation was far from tenable as yet and she had a feeling that the fact she had fallen pregnant with her third child before a year had elapsed since the birth of the twins would generate a myriad of reactions. They're all going to think that all Chakotay and I think about is procreation…

The familiar creak of the last step of the staircase turned her head and within a minute Chakotay was at the threshold. "Hey, you're up early. It's not your birthday you know." He paused as he took in the half finished cup of tea and plate of untouched crackers. "Baby making itself known?" he questioned sympathetically.

"Prominently." She answered with a wry smile.

He squeezed her shoulder before going to the replicator and replicating himself some breakfast and sitting back down beside her. "Let me guess, you were thinking about how many things you had to do today while feeling like crap."

She raised an eyebrow at him jokingly, he knew her too well. "That and I was contemplating how everyone will think we think about nothing but procreation."

He laughed softly, "There are worse things to be preoccupied with…" he reached over and clasped her hand. "…and since when have you cared about what anybody thinks?"

Her shoulders straightened, her dignity offended. "I do not."

He gave her a kiss. "Good." He whispered before pulling back. "Let's go get the twins up; I finished wrapping their presents last night."

"They do not normally awaken at this time and I have a great deal of food to prepare…"

He smiled a suspiciously impish smile as he wrapped his arm round her waist. "No you don't."

She frowned at him in confusion. "Of course I do! I don't serve replicated meals; they could have that at home."

"I called everyone and told them to bring something for a buffet. You still have to make the cake though, but I'll put up the decorations…"

Seven stared at him incredulously. "But that will leave you with more work than I have."

"Precisely. Why shouldn't you be free to enjoy your kids' birthday without exhausting yourself? Especially with morning sickness kicking in…"

Seven was, for a second, perturbed, but then she remembered his anxieties, his fear for her even if he was excited for the baby and curled her forearm tight around his neck as she gave him a deep kiss. "The decoration can be minimal; you deserve to _enjoy _yourself also." He smiled at her and they headed up the stairs together to rouse the twins.

The nursery was darkened and serene when they entered but Aylen soon began stir, propping herself up on her elbows as she turned her head to look at the new arrivals. "Mama? Papa?" she questioned, her eyes brightening as sleep retreated.

Chakotay went directly to her cot and scooped her out with a beaming smile. "Hi my birthday girl!" She returned his smile naturally; though he wasn't sure she understood the reason for his excitement.

Seven approached Michael's cot. "Time to get up baby." She told him softly, but his arm went tighter over his head, his eyes only flickering for a moment.

"Seepy." He eventually responded.

Chakotay joined Seven with Aylen still in his arms. "It's your birthday too Michael. It'll be fun…" he cajoled.

Michael wasn't to be moved. "Bed." He muttered stubbornly.

Meanwhile Aylen's interest had been caught, her head cocked sideways slightly like it always was when she was curious. "Budday?"

"You and Michael are one year old today, that means it's your birthday." Seven explained.

"You get presents and cake…" Chakotay continued.

"Pwesents!" Aylen squealed excitedly.

"Cake!" Her brother shouted; now bolt upright in his cot.

Seven and Chakotay both laughed. "Why am I not surprised?" Chakotay said with a glint in his eye as Seven put Michael on the floor.

"One thing I have learned about humans is that they really like cake." Seven responded.

Seven did start to make the two mid-sized cakes almost as soon as the twins had opened their presents but they seemed to know that this activity involved them in some way and they wouldn't leave their mother to work in peace, constantly pestering her as Chakotay was busy putting up decorations. She was on the brink of losing patience with them when Chakotay appeared, putting the ladder back in the storeroom. "All the toys they could want and they want to help you bake." He laughed as Michael somehow managed to untie his mother's apron.

At that Seven took them both by the shoulders and knelt down. "Listen, if you want cake you have to let Mama make it. Go and play." They just gazed up at her dolefully without moving and she sighed in exasperation.

"Surely you can let them do something Seven." Chakotay commented from his spot in the corner.

Seven rubbed her floury hands on a dishtowel as she looked between three expectant pairs of eyes and the half prepared ingredients spread around the table and counters. "The three of you can…" she thought for a moment, what would be the least destructive? Well, mess was inevitable. "…sieve the flour."

"The three of us?" Chakotay queried nervously.

Seven pulled another apron from the cupboard and threw it at him. "If you think I'm going to have them involved without backup you're delusional."

Chakotay took one look at her face and knew immediately that she was serious. Looking at their happy but hyper faces he knew he was in for. Well it was your suggestion; he reprimanded himself as he got out the sieve and sat the twins down at the table.

"No Aylen, just tap it gently…" Seven could tell a blizzard of flour was coating her spotless floor even with her back turned from them as she iced the first cake. Maybe she should do Chakotay a favour and take the pressure away from him for a little while. Taking the cake in one hand and a tub of sugar sprinkles in the other she walked to the table and set them down.

"Who wants to decorate the cake?" she asked.

Aylen dropped the sieve, sending a cloud of flour into Chakotay's face and Michael who was sorting the wayward flour into piles on the table stopped dead. "Me!" they both shouted in unison.

"Having fun?" Seven asked, leaning over Chakotay's shoulder as he watched the twins pouring copious amounts of sprinkles on until the icing couldn't be seen, giggling riotously as they did so.

"It's definitely been a day to remember." He eyed the cake again. "Is that salvageable?"

"I'll scrape off the excess but if that's not enough I'll make another while they're in the bath."

"I think it'll be all hands on deck for bath time."

"I have no doubt." Seven replied as she looked over her flour dusted, icing splattered but very happy children.

Somehow they managed to pull themselves together by the time their friends started arriving at 3pm. The family, well preened and mannerly, greeted everyone at the door, giving no sign of the mishaps of the morning. B'Elanna came forward bearing a large delicious looking dish of food, Seven looked at her with surprise, she hadn't known the engineer to ever cook anything. "My mother-in-law." She said laughingly by way of explanation.

"Oh, thank you…and Mrs Paris." Seven said politely before looking down at Miral. "Aylen, Michael and David are playing in the living room if you wish to join them."

"Okay." She replied hurriedly before running off.

Chakotay appeared at Seven's side. "I think everyone's here…"

"Let's eat then!" exclaimed Tom, earning a playful slap on the wrist from B'Elanna as everyone around nodded in agreement and decamped to the kitchen.

All the food was eaten quicker than Seven would have thought possible including the cakes decorated by Aylen and Michael, after the candle blowing ceremony of course even though in Seven's mind the "blowing" was more like "spluttering" and she wasn't sure what a one year old could wish for, she settled in the living room feeling that the party had exceeded her expectations for enjoyment despite the morning sickness that had persisted long past morning. Chakotay knelt on the floor surround by Michael, Aylen, Miral and David Wildman. "What do you want to play?" he asked them.

Two year old Miral spoke first. "I wanna play Twister."

Most of the people in the room looked at the child in bemusement but Harry's head whipped round to Tom, asking incredulously, "You've got your two year old playing Twister?"

"She loves it." Tom answered, puffed up with pride.

"What is Twister?" asked the Doctor curiously.

B'Elanna sighed. "It's a twentieth century game, quite simple really."

Chakotay met Miral's hopeful face. "There's no harm in it I suppose."

So the game was soon replicated and with David Wildman on the wheel the game slowly dragged competitors in until the twins, Miral, Tom, Harry, Chakotay, the Doctor, B'Elanna, Naomi and even Icheb were contorted into positions Seven considered if not impossible then immensely uncomfortable. Suddenly Miral shouted out from under her father's elbow, "I win!"

"No!" retorted Aylen petulantly.

"Expan!" shouted Michael.

Tom quickly corrected Miral as everyone laughed at Michael's attempt to say "explain", reminded of Seven and subjecting her to good natured teasing. Aylen tugged at her mother's skirt. "Mama pway."

Seven eyed the mat and the mass of tangled people. "No baby, not today…"

"Oh come on Seven…" Tom coaxed.

"Yes Seven, your condition doesn't get you out of this." The Doctor commented unhelpfully.

"What condition?" asked B'Elanna suspiciously as all eyes turned to Seven.

Seven developed what can only be described as a deer in the headlights expression before Chakotay climbed up off the Twister mat and took her hand securely. Swallowing hard she said quietly, "I am pregnant again…"

There was a thud as everyone playing Twister except the Doctor, Miral and the twins fell over in shock. "Chakotay, you sly…" Tom started but then Harry cleared his throat as he got up and pulled Debbie close.

"I suppose this is as good a time as any…Debbie's pregnant too." This announcement distracted everyone but a surprised Aunt Irene in Harry's direction, this was his first after all.

**A/n: I'm not sure about this chapter, please review! All this fluff gathers up in my brain and I just need to write it. (I've been writing lots of angst recently this counts as a break) Anyway I hope you like it and want more.**

**I have a new story called "Those Left Behind" Please read and review it too if you haven't already, I've written two chapters.**


	43. Chapter 43

"And you're sure that lying to them won't be destructive?"

Chakotay lifted his head up from the wooden train track he was assembling. "Telling them about Santa Claus doesn't count as lying Seven!"

"But telling them that something fictional is real is clearly deceptive. What if they resent us when they realise?" Seven asked worriedly as she wrapped up Aylen's doll in fuchsia coloured paper and set it under the rather haphazardly decorated tree decorated by the twins the week before.

"Look, parents have been telling their kids about Santa for generations and it's never done them any harm. My parents did it, I'm sure yours did too…"

"It seems a great deal of effort to expend only to prolong a fantasy…"

"They're children they're allowed fantasies and it teaches them about being generous…" Chakotay was becoming slightly flustered as he struggled for words to explain the Christmas traditions he'd been brought up with.

Seven sat back, perhaps it was better to allow these human notions she didn't understand to go over her head, the children had enjoyed hearing their father's story and anticipating the day. "If you believe its right then everything will be fine I'm sure." She said with a smile, knowing she'd done the right thing as she saw Chakotay relax and lean over her to reach the plate of biscuits sitting on the coffee table. "The children made those for…" she began to admonish before halting as she realised she was taking the fiction too seriously. "How long are we going to have to do this for?"

Chakotay chewed the biscuit thoughtfully before answering. "I don't know, ten years maybe?"

"Ten years! Surely by the time they're eleven they'll know what we're doing…"

"You're forgetting someone very special." He reminded her.

Seven looked at him in confusion for a second before following his gaze down to her abdomen. "Oh, of course!" She gave a small laugh, how could she forget that they were going to be doing this all over again?

Chakotay kissed her tenderly. "It'll all be worth it when you see their faces in the morning, I promise."

"Yes, I know." She murmured seriously, before her sense of humour struck her and she arched an eyebrow. "Do we have to eat the carrot for Rudolf too?"

Chakotay laughed so hard he almost choked. "Whatever you want!"

The next morning Seven and Chakotay had difficulty holding the twins back from the living room door. "Are you sure you don't want breakfast first?" Seven asked, if they were this hyperactive now what were they going to be like if they filled up with chocolate?

"No bweakfas." Said Aylen pointedly, staring at the firmly shut door.

"Kistmas fiwst." Michael stated in a determined tone.

Chakotay felt himself start to give in and prepared to open the door but Seven spoke up firmly. "Say please first."

Chakotay stared at her in disbelief but Michael and Aylen quickly realised what was expected of them. "Pwease?" They said in unbelievably cute unison, Michael tacking on a pleading "Mama…" for extra effect.

Seven nodded at Chakotay and he opened the door, the twins running past straight at the tree. Chakotay whipped his head round to face Seven. "I can't believe that worked, why did you…"

Seven gave an unapologetic shrug as she walked in the room. "Even in times of high emotion, manners are still preferable." Chakotay couldn't argue with that.

Seven immediately saw that the work of the night before had been worth it, the twins were so surprised at the spectacle they weren't even chattering among themselves, just beaming childish smiles which warmed their parents' hearts. After the initial flurry of present opening was over, Michael left where he was playing trains with Chakotay and walked over to the empty plates on the coffee table. "Bikkets gone." He said loudly.

Aylen waded through the piles of torn paper and joined her brother. Her brow furrowed in thought before she muttered in disbelief, "Papa wight."

"Santa." Michael agreed decisively before turning back to his trains.

Chakotay exchanged glances with Seven who was visibly trying not to laugh. The family obviously had more than its share of sceptics!

Seven watched from the frosty window as Chakotay pulled the small blue sled around the garden, wincing as the twins toppled out into the room and smiling in relief as they laughingly got back up. There's more wet clothes to wash! She thought wryly. Ah well, perhaps this would be the last heavy snow they would get to enjoy, it was February after all, but with Flagstaff being a ski resort there probably would be more. Absentmindedly she grabbed another handful of chocolate covered nuts and had eaten them before she had time to reconsider, she certainly wasn't having any difficulty gaining the prescribed amount of weight this pregnancy, the strange cravings were becoming ridiculous and yet the baby kicked in satisfaction. It was nice to feel that again, it had given her a fright when it had first happened two days before but she was slowly getting used to it once more. Another soft thud outside caught her attention and a now headless snowman stood in the garden, it obviously wasn't very stable she would have to go out and help. Pulling her thick winter coat on and zipping it up over her eighteen week old bump, she stepped out the back door and heard the satisfying crunch of snow under her feet. Maybe it wasn't too bad after all; the thick blanket did give a pristine clarity to the landscape.

Suddenly a memory flashed through her brain, the soft cold thump of a snowball hitting her back, giggling so hard she was breathless, running so fast she tripped over her own feet, Papa picking her up and dangling her upside down, Mama throwing a snowball into his shoulder to free her…

When the vision cleared, she stared down at the snow surrounding her feet before determinedly scooping up a handful and sculpting it into a missile. Focusing her aim on Chakotay, his back turned as he worked on the snowman, it hit his back. Startled, for a moment he looked at the twins in front of him before slowly turning around. His expression turned to disbelief as he saw Seven, smiling at her own accuracy and the war began, snowballs were pelted across the garden, back and forth like a pair of children. The real children in the group just watched the spectacle, dumbfounded.

Another one of her snowballs hit Chakotay in the chest but he continued to advance, hands aloft. "I surrender!" he exclaimed laughingly. Obligingly Seven dropped her next snowball and allowed him to come close. "How are you?" he asked sweetly.

"Fine…ahhh!" she shrieked as snow was flung down her neck, the cold and deception coming as such a shock that she fell onto her backside in a snowdrift. "You…" she started, glaring at him.

He knelt down to help her up, grinning gleefully. "Don't try and beat me at my own game sweetheart."

"Next time I'll…"

"Next time?"

She smiled sheepishly, this past time was so pointless, but so fun! "Yes, next time." She said challengingly, a competitive glint in her eye. Chakotay beamed at that answer and kissed her deeply.

"Ucky!" exclaimed Aylen in disgust from her vantage point standing with her brother.

Chakotay pulled back from Seven and turned to look at them. "No kissing isn't yucky, eating snow is yucky." He corrected, casting a disapproving look at Michael who was doing just that.

"No Papa!" He cried, stubbornly clutching the snow before setting off round the garden at a run, Chakotay immediately giving chase. Seven lay back in the snow to watch with a laugh.

A few days later Seven lay on another cold surface, this time a biobed in the Doctor's office. "So do you want to know what you're having?" he asked as he ran the scans.

"Still sure it's not twins?" asked Chakotay jokingly.

"Yes, this one's definitely unaccompanied. Do you want to make a guess? You have a fifty-fifty chance."

"There are only two options Doctor, just tell us." Seven said impatiently, not having completely forgiven the Doctor for revealing the pregnancy before they were ready.

The Doctor's eyes flickered to Chakotay who nodded. "You heard her."

"Okay…" The Doctor began reluctantly. "Aylen's going to be outnumbered; do you think she'll handle it?"

"A boy?" asked Chakotay joyfully as the Doctor nodded in confirmation. "Oh Aylen will handle it fine, she'll probably be the boss!"

All three of them laughed before Seven wryly commented, "I should have known, only men have that big an appetite."

**A/n: Hello, please review! I need help with names again, I was thinking something Scandinavian or Biblical like Michael but I'll happily take all suggestions. By the way does anyone know Chakotay's father's name? (For the middle name not the first, Native American boys' names are generally very hard to spell) Thanks!**


	44. Chapter 44

"…and all the animals said goodnight and went to sleep." Seven finished, closing the picture book firmly.

"Again!" insisted Michael, pulling at the cover's edges.

"No, two books in one night is enough and it's almost bedtime." Seven told him just as Aylen hopped off the couch and toddled to the bookshelf, pulling a book out from the middle of the pile sending most of the stack all over the floor but she nonchalantly returned to her mother.

Waving the book in the air as she walked she placed it determinedly in Seven's lap. "Wead book Mama." Seven choked back a sigh of exasperation; she would find a cargo manifest more interesting. Under normal circumstances she left such tasks to Chakotay but he was working late that night, part of her could understand their captivation at their father's storytelling but she wasn't exactly a voice actress!

"Hello!" Chakotay's shout reverberated through the house before he reached the living room threshold and caught Seven's relived smile as the twins threw themselves at him. "Hi! Have you been good for Mama today?" he asked them seriously as he accepted their hugs and wet kisses.

"Yes." Michael replied, standing to attention.

Not having given up Aylen thrust a book into his hands. "Papa wead."

Chakotay was about to agree as out of the corner of his eye he saw Seven shaking her head vigorously. "Oh…I think Mama's read to you plenty for tonight. How about I tuck you in now?"

Michael immediately bolted back to his mother, making her wince in pain as he threw himself into her lap. "No sweepy." He said stubbornly.

Chakotay looked at Seven in concern before pulling Michael off to the side. "Be careful Michael or you'll hurt Mama and the baby."

"Brudder?" he questioned, his eyes shifting between his parents.

"Yes that's right, your brother." Seven confirmed, relieved at him remembering as preparing the twins for a sibling had proven harder than either of them had anticipated.

"Say you're sorry." Chakotay continued.

Michael looked balefully up at his mother. "Sorry Mama." His voice became quieter as his gaze moved to her stomach. "Sorry Brudder."

"That was very nice Michael." Said Seven approvingly. An idea hit her and she took Michael's hand and placed it on her stomach. His face was confused until the baby kicked and he gave a slightly bemused giggle. "That's the baby moving." Seven reassured him and a slow smile, with dimples in full evidence, formed on his face.

"Come over Aylen." Chakotay gently encouraged as he saw her watchfully hovering nearby.

"Haf Michael…" She mumbled without moving forward.

Chakotay smiled reassuringly at her. "You'll always have Michael honey, this is another brother that you'll see soon." He then took her hand, guided her over and placed the cautious hand on Seven's stomach.

When the baby, thankfully feeling active, kicked again Aylen jumped violently and drew her hand back fearfully. "Hurts Mama?"

Seven hugged the anxious child, letting her cuddle against her for comfort. "No my love it doesn't hurt, I promise." Aylen sighed in acceptance as she sleepily huddled close.

"Okay, bedtime now." Chakotay murmured, this time receiving no complaints as he gathered them both up in his arms. Seven rose to help him but he calmly waved her back to the couch. Seven shot him an anxious look as he returned, "They're off to sleep…" He kissed her gently before joining her on the couch. "Happy anniversary." He whispered in her ear.

"You remembered…" she replied with a smile as she returned the kiss.

"How could I forget with those two little terrors and another on the way?" He joked as he pulled out a small jewellery box.

"Chakotay, I don't want anything…" Seven started but he interrupted her.

"I _wanted_ to give you something. Here…" He opened the box to reveal a simple silver chain bracelet with four lockets hanging from it, opening each tiny locket to see that they each contained a picture, one of Michael, one of Aylen, one of their wedding photographs and an empty one. "When the baby comes he can have a picture too…" Chakotay explained.

"Oh, it's beautiful…perfect…" Seven murmured in awe as he clipped it on her wrist. "Thank you, I love it." She said sincerely.

"Well, you're not well enough to go out this year and I have to go to that boring work do tomorrow night alone, the only thing that made that bearable last year were your observations of the guests…"

Seven lifted her eyes from the bracelet to meet his. "Oh, I got you released from that duty."

"What? How?"

"I called the organiser's wife and informed her that you were needed at home."

Chakotay's expression changed from happy to anxious. "Am I needed at home? Are you ill?"

"Not anymore than to be expected. It was the only plausible lie I could think of."

"Seven…have I ever told you that I love your inventive streak?"

"Not exactly…"

Seven gulped nervously for the forth time since they'd left the car and Chakotay let go of one of the stroller's handles to clasp her hand. "Stop worrying…"

"You're the one that booked the emergency appointment!" She snapped in retort.

"You almost fainted at home, you know it's better to be safe than sorry."

"What if the Doctor has to deliver me?" She whispered to him as the twins began to chatter.

He swallowed slightly. "I doubt it, you haven't even been on bed rest so far and you're already a week further along than when you had the twins." He squeezed the hand he was holding hard. "Everything will be fine."

The expression on the Doctor's face told them everything was not fine as he scanned Seven. "You're going to have to stay in the hospital." He told her firmly.

All the colour drained from Chakotay's face. "In a coma?"

"No, she's far enough along not to risk that again. I meant bed rest. Just like with the twins your implants are starting to struggle again, only much later because it's a single baby and I improved the drug…"

Seven cut him off. "Why does the bed rest need to be conducted here? I stayed at home last time."

The Doctor looked at her and then glanced at the twins who at that moment were fighting within the stroller. "Do you really think complete bed rest is possible with those two to run after?"

Seven wanted to say yes but honesty and common sense wouldn't let her. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.

He squeezed her shoulder in a paternal fashion. "It's the best thing if you want to avoid another premature baby." Seven gulped tearfully and he nodded. "I'll go and arrange a bed." He then left leaving the family alone to digest the news.

Chakotay immediately came out of his own shock and held her supportively in his arms. "We knew this might happen sweetheart…"

"I never thought I'd be abandoning you and the children for weeks! How will we cope?"

"We'll just have to. I'll call in a lot of favours and bring the twins in to see you whenever it's allowed…"

The twins begun to fuss nervously, never having seen their mother cry openly before and Chakotay brought them to Seven who hugged them tightly and tried to dry her tears.

Chakotay tried to concentrate on the work he'd had sent home but he was just too tired. Being a single father even temporarily left him with little energy in reserve. Of course everyone had jumped to help, B'Elanna and Tom, Harry and Debbie, Irene, they'd all been lifesavers but they couldn't do everything. Even with twice daily trips to the hospital the twins were as unsettled as he was. Suddenly Aylen's squeal dragged him from his thoughts and back to reality where the twins were scribbling with paper and crayons. Aylen was looked at Michael with disgust. "Yucky, eat cayons!"

Chakotay choked when he followed Aylen's gaze and saw Michael crewing on the end of a blue crayon. "Michael, spit that out!" he ordered anxiously, just as he saw him swallow visibly. Kneeling down he stared at Michael. "You didn't…you're too old for that…"

"Gone." Stated Michael clearly, patting his stomach as he did so.

Chakotay mind slowed down in denial for a second before in full panic mode he gathered them up and seized the car keys.

The Doctor was checking Seven's test results when Chakotay burst in, a child under each arm. "What's wrong?" he asked in concern at Chakotay's flushed face and breathlessness.

"Michael ate a crayon! Will you have to remove it? Has it damaged his throat?"

The Doctor stared at him for a minute before realising he was completely serious and sat Michael down on a biobed. "Now did this crayon taste nice Michael? I don't eat so I wouldn't know…" He returned Michael's sheepish grin. "You know that was wrong don't you…" He felt Chakotay staring daggers into his back and turned around. "Don't look at me like that. At least he didn't put it in his ear like David Wildman or swallow a marble like Miral…"

"How can you be so blasé about this!" Chakotay ran a habitual hand through his hair. "Seven's going to kill me…"

"Probably not. He's fine, it'll dissolve and come out the other end in a day or two."

Chakotay breathed huge sigh of relief and sat the twins down side by side. "Now, eating anything that isn't on your plates is bad, is that understood?"

"Yes." They said in unison.

"Okay, now when we go in to see Mama we don't mention this. It'll be our secret okay?"

"Shh…" said Aylen helpfully.

"Yes." Felling the high of panicked adrenaline start to leave him, Chakotay's legs suddenly felt like jelly but he led the twins out to see Seven anyway. "That goes for you too Doctor." He called back as he left.

Seven shifted once again in an attempt to find a comfortable spot in the bed she'd occupied for the last two weeks. She had grown accustomed to the boredom but not the loneliness, she missed and worried about Chakotay and the twins constantly. Her heart's wish came true at that moment as Aylen and Michael bounded into the room ahead of their father. "Mama!" They both exclaimed. Showing agility for eighteen month olds they both clambered up to join her on the bed. "Miss you Mama. Kiss." Said Aylen, offering her small cheek which Seven duly kissed.

Michael crawled up the bed and patted her stomach. When he felt no movement he declared, "Baby sweeping."

Seven smiled affectionately at him. "Yes I believe he is." Chakotay now approached her and gave her a quick kiss in greeting. "How is everything?" she asked as he pulled back.

"Fine." He stated without elaborating, sounding cagey to Seven's ears. "I'll go and get us all a drink." He said quickly.

"Okay…" He left as soon as the word had left her lips and she turned in curiosity to the toddlers beside her. "What's wrong with Papa?" she asked as she brushed Aylen's hair, a task Chakotay had neglected to do.

"Secwet." Aylen replied.

"Shh." Added Michael, finger to his lips. Seven sighed. They all seemed undamaged, whatever had had happened she would discover and correct when she got home.

**A/n: I hope this chapter isn't too farfetched. Please review!**


	45. Chapter 45

"Seven, it doesn't have to be a human name but I need your help, you can't expect me to choose the name, especially since you've not liked any of my suggestions or anyone else's."

"No it has to be of human to coordinate with Aylen and Michael…" Seven paused as she saw Michael reach over to a vase full of flowers sitting on the windowsill. "Leave that alone Michael!"

He glanced over at her furtively but continued to reach for the vase anyway; by now he knew his mother couldn't leave her hospital bed to catch him. "Papa!" he cried out in protest as Chakotay lifted him up and put him back beside Aylen at the foot of Seven's bed.

"What did Mama tell you?" Chakotay asked him, kneeling down to his eye level.

"Stay." Michael replied ruefully.

"That's right. Stay there where we can see you." Michael nodded and took his plastic toy shuttle craft back from Aylen to content himself. Chakotay watched them play for a moment before going back to his point. "Well we need to narrow it down somehow; maybe we should just pick a letter of the alphabet and choose a name from that list."

Seven sighed, feeling irritated and uncomfortable, even in bed this amount of extra weight was cumbersome. The baby kicked her hard in the ribs and she instantly felt guilty, the baby should stay in there for as long as possible, she didn't want to experience the NICU again even if at thirty six weeks and one day the possibility was thankfully becoming more remote. All the more reason to pick a name, he'll come soon and can't be without a designation when the time comes. The reasonable voice in her head pointedly reminded her. Picking up the data pad with the long list of names she'd been working through, she considered Chakotay's suggestion. "His name can begin with an M like Michael."

"Right." Chakotay nodded tiredly in agreement and sympathy for him stabbed her, he'd been run off his feet coming back and forth to the hospital with the twins in tow and she thanked him by being irritable. She began to read the M names out alphabetically for approval but they were both distracted by the twins' frequently comic attempts to pronounce the names.

Giving up for the time being Seven drew Aylen into a hug. "What do you want the baby's name to be Aylen?"

Her china doll features creased for a moment in thought. "Baby…" she said uncertainly.

"That isn't a name sweetheart. He won't be a baby forever. Any other ideas?" Chakotay probed gently. Aylen shook her head vigorously and Michael shrugged his small shoulders before taking his shuttle with him on a run round the room. "Keep going Seven." Said Chakotay as he confiscated the toy and gave Michael another warning to calm down.

Starting from where she'd left off Seven read again. "Max…"

"Why did you stop? Do you like that name?" asked Chakotay with interest, since he liked it also.

Seven flushed. "When the Captain made me research my ancestry four years ago, I discovered that one of my ancestors was a World War II fighter pilot. Max was his name."

Chakotay smiled in approval. "That's a reason to name a baby after him if I ever heard one. I like it."

Seven felt her shoulders relax. "It is decided then. His name will be Max Kolopak."

"You want my father's name to be his middle name?" Said Chakotay in surprise.

"Yes, why shouldn't it be? Michael has my father's name incorporated and you loved your father…"

Chakotay was deeply touched and kissed her softly. "Yes I did, I love you too…"

The Doctor's voice shattered the moment. "Sorry to interrupt but visiting time is almost over and it's time for your morning check up Seven."

Seven set Aylen down on the floor to allow the Doctor to scan her and saw his face darken with foreboding as he did so. "What's wrong?"

"You're going to have to be induced. We'll start the drugs at 1500 hours."

"Today?" Chakotay asked shell-shocked.

The Doctor had hardly moved his head in a nod before Seven broke in, highly agitated. "Postpone it. It's still too early…"

The Doctor gave her a sympathetic look, it was a rarity to see her so openly fearful. "Seven if it's the baby you're worried about he'll most likely be fine, thirty six weeks gestation isn't considered dangerous. He'll probably not even need to go to the NICU if the labour goes smoothly."

Seven glared at him tearfully. "Well what if it doesn't? I'm not willing to risk…"

"The risk to you will only be higher if we wait. Listen, right now you're on the edge of stability if you have the baby now while you still have some strength, everything will most likely be fine but if we wait your implants could destabilise as they did last time and endanger your life."

Seven shook with silent sobs she managed to stop herself from uttering and Chakotay, who had sat mute during this exchange with his arm round her spoke up determinedly. "Go and prepare whatever you need Doctor and I'll make arrangements for the twins and come back here for 1500 hours okay?" The Doctor nodded in relief, glad to see the officer in Chakotay reveal himself as he knew Seven would eventually follow her husband's lead in this instance.

The Doctor left to make the arrangements and Chakotay through badly shaken himself comforted Seven. "If you upset yourself like this you'll go into natural labour and I want it completely under control this time okay?" This remark drew a stifled sob from Seven which she quickly muffled into his shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine honey…"

Seven gulped several times as her grip on his shirt unconsciously tightened. She didn't want to admit how scared she was, that her last labour had traumatised her to no small extent, to admit such a thing would have gone against her nature, or her Borg upbringing at least. Yet she knew in her heart that Chakotay was acutely aware of her emotions, perhaps more than she was, he'd always been like that and her own senses could feel his fear bubbling under his calm persona. Pulling back she met his eyes. "I hope so…I know…"

Michael and Aylen now appeared at the side of the bed. "Mama sad." Stated Michael quietly, giving his mother a soft pat on the arm.

"Bad Doctor." Aylen commented, obviously having noticed the link between the Doctor's arrival and Seven's outburst.

"No, no he's not bad at all." Seven hurriedly corrected as she hugged them and rubbed her eyes, putting on a smile to reassure them. "When you come and see me tomorrow you'll meet your new brother."

"Max?" asked Aylen curiously. Although surprised that they remembered the name decided on only a few minutes before Seven and Chakotay nodded. "Wove you Mama." Aylen continued after a pause.

"Wove too." Michael immediately agreed not wanting to be outdone by his sister.

Seven had to swallow down hard on the lump that formed in her throat as she hugged and kissed them again. "I love you too."

Chakotay gently guided them to the stroller and clipped them in before returning to Seven for a kiss. "I'll be back soon…good thing we decided on a name huh?" Seven saw a new glimmer in his eyes as he said this, excitement, it began to flicker into life within her too at that moment and as they left she lay down flat with a sigh to wait.

Another contraction painfully pulled her muscles and set her nerves on fire. She counted the time lapse in her brain, three and a half minutes. Chakotay must have noticed her wince for his voice found its way to her distracted ears. "How are you feeling?"

Seven doubted her powers of description could stretch that far and instead said, "I can understand why our mothers both limited themselves to one child."

"It's a little late now." He wryly replied, getting a tense mutter of agreement from Seven. "The Doctor should be in to check you soon. He said he'd come in every hour and it's just past 1700 hours." Just then the Doctor and the midwife assisting him entered. "Speak of the devil." He muttered in Seven's ear but she was mostly ignorant as another contraction also arrived.

The Doctor came to the bed looking unnaturally pleased. "Everything seems to be going fine but I'll check." He did so with the next contraction and smiled at the anxious couple. "Impressive, four centimetres in two hours."

Seven gasped. "I hadn't got that far in _twelve_ hours last time."

"Well, every instance is different. You're definitely in active labour now so you can have some pain relief." The midwife handed Seven a tube connected to a large tank.

"What is it?" asked Chakotay.

"Nitrous oxide, laughing gas."

"Don't you have something more helpful, more high tech than that?" Chakotay asked doubtfully.

Seven sucked on the tube as directed, beyond caring where relief came from. "…Irrelevant…" she choked out in reply between giggles as it took effect.

"It may be old-fashioned but it works, I'm not willing to risk another allergic reaction. I'll come back in an hour."

As time passed Chakotay became steadily more nervous as Seven laughed manically between groans of pain. "Can I have some too?" he asked in reference to the gas, only half joking. Her only response was to hit him lightly on the arm in reprimand.

She changed position once again, even the laughing gas now failed to take the edge off the pain as the pressure built. Making an instinctive decision she motioned Chakotay over who was immediately at her side. "Get…the…Doctor…" Out of the corner of her eye she saw him nod and run to the door. The next sound she was aware of was the Doctor's steady voice floating over to her.

"Looks like he's going to arrive this side of midnight, it's time to push." It was sometime after 2300 hours now that meant she'd been in labour for over eight hours, how had she managed to cope with twenty eight hours of this? To be fair her memory of that previous labour was very patchy, perhaps that was why she's allowed herself to get pregnant again…Another push? Obviously this one was as stubborn as the rest of his family, herself included. Why did Chakotay insist on holding her hand, didn't he know that she was very capable of breaking his fingers? Her other hand suddenly braced itself against the bed and the last of her adrenaline drained from her as she groaned. A new sound suddenly replaced it, ear splittingly loud and tuneless but strangely mesmerising and beautiful at the same time. "All over Seven, well done." Said the Doctor over the din of the newborn's wails. These words made her lift her head slightly and the baby was obligingly laid on her chest where she cuddled him without thinking. He was crying and bloody but then she was sure she didn't look flawless just then either, with her hair plastered to her head and tears streaming down her face. Chakotay broke her out of her daze by kissing her over and over, babbling incoherently all the while as she laughed and wept with relief.

"Would you like to cut the cord Chakotay?" The Doctor asked as he stood grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Yes please." Almost as soon as he'd done so Max was gently lifted away by the midwife.

This jerked Seven into trying to sit up, "What's wrong?" she mumbled weakly, the fear audible in her voice.

The midwife gave her an understanding smile. "I need to check him over, don't worry I'll bring him right back when the Doctor says you're fine. Your husband can come with me." Chakotay looked anxiously at Seven who although appearing pale and weak, her teeth chattering, nodded sharply in permission and he followed the midwife to the back of the room who put Max on scales and nodded in satisfaction. "Not the heaviest I've ever seen but healthy." Chakotay felt shock prickle him when he realised that he still weighted more than the twins had at birth put together and relief washed over him as she gave him the baby. "Perfectly fine Doctor, when was he born so I can put it in the records?" she called over as he attended to Seven.

"2337 hours, that means the 16th of June 2380. Stardate 8062.5." He drew a blanket over a shivering Seven. "The cold is from shock, it should pass. Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?"

Seven nodded listlessly before asking, "Will he need to go to the NICU?"

"I think he'll stay here, we'll keep an eye on him though. Now I'm going to put you on a drip and within the hour you'll need to regenerate okay?"

As Seven nodded again, Chakotay lifted his head from the baby to check on his wife. "He's perfect; He's got hair already and I think he's got Aylen's chin, Michael's eyebrows…"

Seven smiled at his unbridled enthusiasm and joy. "Does his name seem appropriate?"

Chakotay looked down at the little human in his arms, feeling the same love he'd felt for the twins without the dark shadow of anxiety and fear. The extra six weeks had certainly done him good, his face was filled out and rosy, something the twins hadn't achieved until they were ready to leave the hospital and his eyes and expression were generally happier, more alert and responsive. "Yes, I think it does. Look." He carried him over and placed him in Seven's waiting arms.

"Hi baby…" She whispered softly as she tucked him against her skin for warmth and closeness, feeling his rapid heartbeat slow as he relaxed into her. "We've been waiting for you a long time, you have two excited siblings at home…" She kissed his soft downy head, already dark haired like his father and watched him yawn. "I'm tired too…" She caught his eye colour and saw that they gazed out like two bright pieces of coal. "He looks just like you Chakotay…"

Chakotay couldn't stop himself from beaming but still replied, "The more like _you_ the better" as he kissed her.

Seven smiled knowingly as Max began to fuss and changed position to allow him to nurse. As she watched, unable to take her eyes off him, she murmured in his ear but loud enough for Chakotay to hear, "You're never going to eat a crayon are you Max?" she asked teasingly.

Chakotay visibly cringed. "The Doctor told you?"

"No, the nurses on this floor like to engage in gossip." When she saw his face she felt guilty and kissed him soothingly. "Don't worry; I have had many near disasters with our elder children."

Chakotay laughed in relief as he leaned back over the baby. "Did you hear that Max? Your family's been the laughing stock of the maternity floor!"

**A/n: Really long chapter because I decided not to leave you hanging. Please review! I hope you don't hate the name. (Using the same initial as one of the twins is a bit cliché but I had to narrow the choice down somehow!) I promise to update "Disunity" before I continue with this.**


	46. Chapter 46

Seven slowly rolled onto her side but her precautions were pointless for her nerves still screamed in complaint at the movement so soon after giving birth. She forgot all this of course as baby Max in his cot beside her bed absorbed all her attention once again, lying flat on his stomach as he slept, his face turned towards her and his tiny hands up around his face. She smiled fondly remembering that Aylen always assumed the same position in her cot, even now at nineteen months. She ran a finger up his spine half hoping he would stir and give her an excuse to pick him up but exhaustion and common sense banished such a wish, they both needed rest and from the way his month worked as he slept she knew he would be asking for another feed soon enough anyway. With a sigh she laid back on the pillows, hoping that sleep would reclaim her but June's early sunrise streaming through the window refocused her attention on Chakotay, slumped in a chair in the darkest corner, soundly asleep. She watched how utterly relaxed and calm his face was in sleep, even more so than his newest son and felt love and gratitude for them both overwhelm her for a moment as well as a pang for the other half of her family, her lively but sweet natured twins. Oh, it would be so good to interact with them again, even if she did face at least another four days in hospital, escape was now promised!

As if he could sense his wife's eyes on him Chakotay blinked awake, a tired smile forming as he remembered where he was and what had happened. Running a hand through his hair as he yawned, he asked, "What time is it my love?"

"0729 hours." Seven replied quietly as she watched his eyes shift to Max.

He let go an exhale of breath. "Almost eight hours old. It seems an age since Aylen and Michael were that young."

"Nineteen months, twelve days." Seven answered precisely but with a teasing glint in her eye. "When did you arrange for Aunt Irene to bring the twins in?"

"As soon as visiting hours start at nine. Tom and B'Elanna said they'd come too, and Harry and Debbie are coming in for an antenatal appointment…"

Seven felt her face fall in disappointment. "Do they have to come so quickly?"

Chakotay frowned slightly. "Why not? You're feeling alright aren't you?"

"As well as can be expected but I wanted to have the twins to ourselves for a little while to help them adjust. Everyone else as well as us paying attention to Max may make them jealous…and I've missed them a great deal whilst I've been here…"

He approached the bed and brushed her face with his fingers. "I know you've missed them and vice versa but it's all over now and we have the rest of our lives with them okay?" As she nodded slowly in agreement he added, "We'll give them attention on their own before we introduce them to Max, I have a feeling Irene's going to want to hold him as soon as she comes in."

"A reasonable assumption." Seven murmured, leaning forward to kiss him but having to pull back prematurely as Max began to cry.

"Right on cue." Chakotay muttered to Seven as he lifted the baby so that a stiff Seven didn't have to move. "Am I hogging your Mama when you need her?" he cooed as he cuddled him close. "How about she feeds you and I feed her, deal?" he asked jokingly as he passed him over to Seven's waiting arms. "What do you want for breakfast?"

Seven gave a preoccupied sigh as she pulled Max against her and let him nurse. "Anything that fulfils my nutritional needs."

"It a hospital replicator, I wouldn't get my hopes up!"

After a not particularly nutritional but filling breakfast of tasteless cereal and toast, they were fully occupied attending to the baby and had just settled him back in his cot when familiar chatter filtering through the hallways alerted them to their elder children's arrival and within a minute they had broken free of their great-aunt's guiding hands and burst through the door. "Mama! Papa!" they both shouted in greeting, excitedly grasping their mother's duvet and tugging it in an effort to climb up. Aylen suddenly had a brainwave, grasping her father's leg. "Papa wift up."

"What do you say?" In response to his prompting he was sure he caught Aylen rolling her eyes slightly but Michael cottoned on.

"Papa wift up pwease!"

"Okay." Said Chakotay, lifting him up to join his mother first in reward for his politeness, Aylen following a minute later where they were immediately happily welcomed by Seven.

Irene could now get a word in, leaning over the twins to give Seven's hand a squeeze. "How was it dear?"

"Fine." Seven responded tiredly, her exhaustion coming back in more than full force after the twins exuberant greeting, bouncing all over her strained body. "He's over there if you want to see him."

Irene sniffed, "_If_ I want to see him?" She replied sarcastically, going over to her new great-nephew, gently scooping him up and cuddling him. "What a lovely baby you are Max, your Mama's good at having beautiful babies isn't she?" she cooed enthusiastically.

While Irene monopolised Max Chakotay joined Seven and the twins on the bed. "Were you good for your Great-Aunt Irene?" Seven asked as they clung to her like limpets.

"Yes, good." Aylen replied as Michael nodded. Seven glanced at Irene who nodded smilingly in confirmation.

"What were you doing?" asked Chakotay.

Michael's face lit up in remembrance. "Aunt Rini swing."

"Aunt Irene pushed you on the swing? How high?" Chakotay smiled, glad he had installed the swing in the garden just before Seven went into the hospital.

"High! Touch sky!" Michael answered excitedly.

"Me higha." Aylen told her father in a confidential tone.

Michael took instant offence, "No! Me higha!"

Sensing an argument brewing Seven intervened. "What else did she do with you?"

"We read a lot of books didn't we?" Irene encouraged from her place sitting with Max.

"Yes lot. Need more." Aylen replied.

Not wanting his daughter to whine for a book as she sometimes did Chakotay spoke again, "What did you play?"

Alyen thought for a moment before a smile spread across her face. "Pway sap!"

"Sap?" Seven repeated in confusion, having no idea what she meant.

"She means snap, playing that with them kept them happy for hours." Irene clarified.

"What's that?" Seven asked inquisitively.

"It's a card game. You throw down picture cards and when you see one that matches one you have you shout "snap"." Chakotay explained but Seven's face changed to a deep frown.

"Card games encourage gambling." She stated with blunt disapproval.

"It's not like that! It's just a children's game I promise." Chakotay reassured her, remembering too late Seven's deep aversion to gambling.

Seven realised that she'd made a mistake and blushed slightly. "If they like it so much, I'll have to learn how to play." She said trying to save face as she sank back onto the bed again with a yawn which she couldn't suppress.

"Mama tired." Michael commented sympathetically.

"Yes I'm very tired." Seven admitted softly, stroking her elder son's hair as Max began to whimper and Irene brought him back to her. "Let's see your new brother." She told both the twins as calmly as she could, tilting Max in her arms so that they could see.

Michael peered at the small face, his curiosity evident in his own. "Max?" he questioned, looking at his mother for confirmation.

"Yes, this is Max." She guided his hand to brush his brother's face and as Max gurgled Michael smiled.

"Talks!" he exclaimed happily.

Seven wasn't sure what to say, since that wasn't really true, glancing at Chakotay for support who gave a small laughed as he said, "Not quite yet, but he will. You have to be gentle with him until he grows a little okay?" Michael immediately nodded determinedly but soon lost interest and began playing with his toy car.

Seven looked at Aylen who had been silent during this whole exchange. "Aylen my love, come and see."

Aylen, always the more sceptical about having a new brother, perhaps because she already had experience of having one, drew away fretfully. "No…" Seven gently urged her closer but Max chose that time to shift in his blankets and Aylen jumped. "Moves!"

"Yes…" Seven began patiently. "Just like when you move." Taking Aylen's hand as she had done with Michael's, she made Alyen gently touch the baby.

Aylen's face relaxed significantly. "Sof." She mumbled in awe, watching as the baby yawned and making a valiant attempt to tuck the blankets tighter around him as she'd seen her mother do a moment before, almost all of the nervousness gone.

Seven kissed her for the effort and allowed her to back away as Max began to fuss again. Irene helpfully led the twins away from the bed Seven said quietly to Chakotay, "Why didn't you help to explain more fully?"

"Because you were doing just fine, better than fine." Chakotay responded confidently and Seven felt some of that confidence transfer to her, maybe she could handle three children, not just adequately but well, after all.

**A/n: Hi, I hope this is okay! It's not as long as I planned because I've run out of time tonight but I'll write the next chapter soon. Please review! Thanks to all the new people who favourited and story alerted.**

**I have completed "Disunity" and started two new fics, "The Hansen Identity" and "The Loving Game", please read and review!**


	47. Chapter 47

"Yucky!" exclaimed Michael in disgust, throwing the sandwich provided by the hospital onto the floor, making Aylen giggle and throw hers too.

Seven may have been in a hospital bed but she wasn't going to let this indiscretion pass, turning them around to face her and lowering her eyes to their level. "We don't throw things ever, it's wrong. Go and pick them up and put them in the trash can."

"Okay Mama, sorry." They both mumbled, climbing off her bed and carefully picking up the soiled sandwiches. Aylen's nose wrinkled before she turned to her father who was changing Max at the time and said, "Max eat?"

Chakotay chuckled as he turned to face her with Max in his arms. "No honey, none of us are going to be eating those."

"Good." Aylen replied, satisfied as she followed her brother's lead and threw the sandwich in the trash with more force than was strictly necessary.

Michael meanwhile was still in search of food and approached his great-aunt beguilingly, clutching her leg and looking up at her with his big hazel eyes. "Seets Aunt Rini pwease."

"I don't have any sweets right now Michael. When we go back to your house I'll make lunch but right now go see your Mama and Max because we'll be going soon." Irene told him gently but firmly as she freed her leg.

His face immediately fell. "Weave?" He whimpered, "No!" Running back to his mother's bed he managed to half scramble up the duvet, almost falling to the floor before Chakotay caught him in time. It was to this chaotic scene that Harry and Debbie Kim walked into.

"Did we come at a bad time?" asked Harry jokingly as he looked at the rather flustered family.

"Of course not." Seven assured him, as Debbie, still a little nervous around her husband's former Borg crewmate, cautiously approached the bed and Seven guessed the intention of the heavily pregnant woman. "Would you like to see Max?"

"Yes please." Said Debbie softly as Seven handed her the baby, her reserve instantly melting away as she looked at the baby. "Oh what a little angel…this makes me want to see mine even more."

Chakotay picked up on Harry's lack of comment and said under his breath, "Nervous Harry?"

"How'd you guess?" Harry muttered, slightly ashamed.

"I've been there a couple of times." He replied with a smile towards his three children.

Michael was eyeing Debbie's stomach curiously as she stood in front of him holding Max. "You haf a Max too?" he asked.

"What?" Debbie asked in confusion before bursting out laughing. "No sweetie, I'm going to have a Laura, you'll meet her soon."

"You chose a name then?" Chakotay asked both Harry and Debbie.

"Yes, Laura Jane, Laura Jane Kim." Harry confirmed, his chest puffing out with pride.

"That is a very pretty name, how did you…" Seven began but was interrupted by shouting seeping through the doorway from the corridor.

"The one time I let you drive the car and you crash it! In a hospital car park no less!"

"That corner was a stupid place to put a barrier and besides it's just a scratch."

Aylen said what they were all thinking. "Tom and Blana."

"I believe you're correct Aylen." Seven said as Tom practically stormed in with B'Elanna and Miral close behind as the argument continued to flow.

"Don't be such a drama queen Tom, it's just a car. Don't you think someone who can take apart and rebuild a warp engine can fix a car?"

Oh no, you're not going anywhere near my car…"

Chakotay stepped smoothly forward, clearing his throat as he did so. "Would you like to see the baby?"

"Oh yes." Said B'Elanna quickly, shooting Seven and Chakotay apologetic looks before being given Max to hold and immediately started cooing over him.

Tom approached the twins with Miral. "Hi, how are you doing today?" he asked them.

"Hewwo." Michael replied shyly while Aylen gazed at Tom with a frown.

"Dama king no keen." She suddenly said, her blue eyes focused directly on him.

"What honey?" Tom asked her in total confusion.

She uttered an irritated sigh before pointing at him. "You dama king." She then pointed to B'Elanna. "Dama keen."

Michael nodded vigorously in agreement. "Correct."

"Ohh…I'm a drama_ king _am I?" Tom asked them laughingly as they nodded. "Chakotay, I think they've inherited their intelligence level from Seven, you're going to be outnumbered."

"You're too smart." Miral bluntly told Aylen.

"Irrelevant." Aylen retorted icily, not sharing her brother's near hero worship of Miral.

The room fell unnaturally silent for a moment before everyone in the room buckled over with laughter, even Chakotay couldn't help but smile. Aylen, not understanding their merriment hid under her silent mother's arm. "Well we know she wasn't swapped at birth!" Tom remarked laughingly.

Seven bit her lip and stroked her daughter's dark hair, it would be hypocritical to tell her not to say it but still for a moment she was horrified. Aylen seemed to sense this and cuddled further into her, turning her face up to her mother's. Seven looked at her, she was human and always would be, no matter what strange phrases she picked up from her. B'Elanna's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Have you heard about the Admiral?"

"No, what's she been doing?" asked Harry with interest.

"Tom's dad says Starfleet Command have been telling her to return from the Delta Quadrant for the last two months, she's sent a couple of strange reports recently and they wanted her to come back and explain them but now she's just told them she's returning to Earth for Icheb's graduation and then going straight back, some confidential mission for Starfleet Intelligence…"

"It's just like her to tell Headquarters where to stick it." Tom commented somewhat admiringly.

"Let's hope it's not too reckless." Seven murmured and everyone nodded quietly in agreement.

The subject of Admiral Janeway came up again when Icheb visited Seven four days later. He entered to find her alone with Max. "How are you?" He asked anxiously before even greeting her properly.

Seven smiled reassuringly at his concern. "We're going home today, Chakotay is coming to collect us within the hour."

Icheb's face lit up, a rare event for the former Borg. "You will be well enough to attend my graduation from the Academy then?"

"My presence is a certainty, as long as you don't mind the children being there also."

"They are family Seven." Icheb said with conviction before approaching Max's cot and getting Seven's permission to hold him. "Thank you for coming earlier than expected Max, I was worried your mother would still be in hospital when my graduation came."

"Chakotay says fate is sometimes helpful." Seven said softly, looking affectionately at her baby.

"Yes…" Icheb pondered for a moment before continuing. "Admiral Janeway has offered to take me to my new post on Deep Space Nine after my graduation."

Seven's face tightened. "You will not become involved in her mission will you?"

Icheb looked at her in bemusement. "I…have my assignment Seven."

"Yes, of course." Said Seven awkwardly before Icheb changed the subject entirely.

"What prompted Aylen to say "irrelevant"?" he asked curiously, but with his eyes sparkling teasingly.

"Miral told her she was too smart and she responded."

"There's no such thing as too intelligent as long as you're not insufferable. Such a statement _is_ irrelevant."

"I know and so does Aylen." Said Seven with a small smile.

Chakotay realised as he wheeled Seven to the car in a wheelchair that he perhaps should have accepted Irene's offer to look after the twins but it was too late now as Michael kept getting under his feet pushing the back of the wheelchair. "Me push!" he cried happily very pleased with himself.

"I can do it on my own from here Michael…" He tried to explain but Michael wouldn't be deterred.

As Max began to wail at the jolting nature of his ride from his mother's arms Seven intervened. "Michael, come and hold the front of the wheelchair like Aylen is doing, that would be a big help to Mama." Beaming in pleasure at being singled out he hung on to the front like Aylen was doing.

Chakotay sighed in tired exasperation, another little crisis over with. "I should have let Irene watch them…"

Seven twisted round to look at him, eyebrows raised in amusement. "You should have let me walk."

Max's cry made her eyes shoot open as her brain snapped out of regeneration. He couldn't be hungry again, not after ten minutes! Chakotay, already holding the baby, answered her silent question. "I'm changing him, have a rest."

"Mama!" called two sleepy, disgruntled voices in unison.

Seven sighed deeply. "You attend to Max and I'll attend to Michael and Aylen." He nodded and she made her way to the nursery to see two very grumpy newly awoken toddlers in their cots. "What is it babies?" she asked softly.

"Max cry." Aylen stated.

"I know but he's okay…" Seven soothed.

"Woud!" Said Michael, hands clapped over his ears, getting straight to the point.

"He'll stop, just go back to sleep."

"Can't. Wake now." Aylen pointed out.

Eventually the house fell silent after she didn't know how long of coaxing the twins back to sleep and she was almost sleeping herself in the nursery chair when Max's cries roused her again and she bolted upright, eyeing the twins nervously but mercifully they didn't stir. Walking as if on eggshells she returned to her room, taking a hungry Max from Chakotay as he sank exhaustedly back into bed. She patted his back fondly. "It's the first night home, it'll get better…"

"That won't make these next few nights any easier will it?" he asked wryly, already half asleep.

"Don't remind me." She quipped with a tired smile.

**A/n: Hi, please review! I hope it's not too bad.**


	48. Chapter 48

Seven exhaled an exasperated sigh as she gathered the twins' clothes for Icheb's graduation that day, once finely ironed but now crumpled in the rush as the overexcited toddlers continued to thwart her determination to get them ready quickly. "Mama…" Michael began to whine but Seven cut him off.

"No, we're all running late. It's time to get dressed, come on." With that she flung the clothes over her shoulder, took Michael in one hand and Aylen in the other and half dragged them upstairs to the nursery where they both sat firmly on the floor and Seven began to remove their sleep suits and redress them despite their giggling protests as they kicked and tried to run from her.

Michael, beginning to chafe in his smart yet restrictive shirt suddenly piped up curiously as his mother was attempting to put Aylen in her dress, "Mama, where go?"

"We're going…" Seven started but was distracted by Aylen's continued thrashing around. "Aylen, sit still now." She reprimanded sharply in her most no nonsense tone which thankfully this time suitably chastened her little daughter into obedience. Pulling the green dress over Aylen's head Seven continued, "We're going to see Icheb graduate from Starfleet Academy."

"Ikeb! Ikeb!" exclaimed Aylen happily as her mother gave her a once over and almost immediately spotted a stain. Examining the offending mark Seven gritted her teeth in irritation, chocolate ice cream! How could she not have noticed that? Now she would need to find something else for Aylen to wear and she still needed to get herself ready before Max woke from his nap…

In agitation she removed the dress and threw to the floor in a spontaneous burst of pointless anger before Aylen spoke, "Ikeb go sip?"

"Sip?" Seven asked in confusion before realising what she meant. "Oh, a ship! Yes he will go away on a ship darling."

"That sad." Aylen commented, lips twisted downwards.

"Yes…" Seven murmured before trailing off as she became aware that her eyes were filling with tears and wiped them away furiously. She had either underestimated or completely forgotten how hormones could make even her carefully controlled emotions unpredictable, here she was crying over Icheb's dearest wish and getting angry about a spoiled piece of clothing, the sooner she fully adapted the better! At least the twins were back to full sprits since they'd finally learned after a sleepless five nights to ignore their younger brother's night time cries though whether this was a blessing or a curse Seven wasn't sure since they were now back to running their exhausted parents ragged.

Chakotay suddenly appeared at the nursery doorway, tying his tie as he walked. "You're not ready to go?" he asked in surprise when he saw his uncharacteristically frazzled wife.

"Obviously not!" she retorted hotly, before backtracking in shame. "I became distracted…" Just then Max decided to alert the family to his awakening and his cries echoed through the house.

Chakotay's ears caught Seven's deep sigh, heavy with exasperation and exhaustion, and decided to step in. "I'll deal with these three and you go and take a break and get ready okay? We have a long day ahead of us."

Normally Seven would have resisted rest but right then she welcomed it with open arms and rose stiffly off her knees went to her husband and kissed him gratefully, arm looped round his neck. "Thank you." She whispered in his ear before getting back to the business of delegating duties. "Michael's ready but Aylen needs a clean outfit, the diaper bags need to packed and…"

"Go and get ready." He told her firmly before going to attend to the baby.

Twenty minutes later Seven stood in front of the floor length mirror in contemplation of her reflection, which was far from ideal. She looked far from the professional put together image she liked to portray to Starfleet in particular, she would never had admitted it but the thought of dealing with that whole apparatus again deeply unsettled her. "Stop assessing yourself, you just had a baby eleven days ago." Chakotay reprimanded gently as he walked in carrying Max.

"I know but I'd at least like to look _presentable_…"

"You _do_ look perfectly presentable." Chakotay reiterated before playfully turning to his baby son. "Doesn't she Max?"

Seven allowed herself a smile as the baby gurgled in response and carefully lifted him into her own arms, kissing his soft head affectionately. "It's a good thing family is worth all this isn't it?"

"Well if it wasn't humans would die out wouldn't they?" Chakotay said with a teasing glint in his eye.

"Is that an anthropology hypothesis I hear?" Seven replied in the same tone.

"Could be or it could just be the view of a family man." He caught her laugh in response to that reply and squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry about going to Starfleet Headquarters, you've never needed to prove anything to them okay?"

Seven met his eyes. "It's Icheb's celebration, nothing would prevent my attendance." She told him with more conviction than was perhaps strictly necessary. His relieved smile and Max's hungry whimpers made her change the subject entirely. "I will feed him and then we will go, agreed?"

"That's a plan." Chakotay replied, reassured about going to San Francisco, and went to round up the twins.

The stroller rolled easily over the orderly paths which intersected the carefully manufactured serenity of the Starfleet Headquarters complex. Seven paused for a moment to take her bearings and saw the pillared, canopied graduation stage in the near distance, the distinctive yet harmonious crowd of Starfleet uniforms acting as a beacon. Seven let out a sigh of relief, "It is a few hundred metres, we won't be late."

"Hot." Michael commented grumpily from his place in the stroller, not used to being out in the midday sun.

"That makes two of us son." Chakotay commiserated, shifting the heavy carry cot he was carrying from one hand to the other and increasing his pace to keep up with Seven.

Just as they were reaching the outskirts of the rows of chairs laid out for spectators a familiar voice rang out, "Chakotay! Seven!" Tom appeared out of the crowd, Miral on his shoulders grasping his hair with determined hands. "Come and sit with us."

"Yeah sure thanks." Said Chakotay gratefully handing the carry cot to an already sitting B'Elanna to help Seven organise the twins.

As they settled into their seats Seven looked around for other familiar faces, spotting the Wildmans and Tuvok and his family among the other cadets' families. "Where's Harry?" She asked B'Elanna, a little confused since he'd promised to be there.

B'Elanna chuckled. "Didn't you hear? Debbie went into labour just as they were leaving the house to come here!"

"So has little Laura made her appearance?" asked Chakotay, pleased for his friend.

"Not yet." Tom answered but held up his old Voyager comm. badge. "He's going to call me as soon as she does. I've got dibs on the godfather position Chakotay so don't even make a try for it."

"You'd have to have done something pretty bad not to get it Tom and besides don't you think I've got enough to handle with three of my own?"

"I'm sure!" Tom laughed, both men looking affectionately at their respective children.

"I presume the Doctor is attending Debbie?" Seven asked as she observed the band warming up to welcome the cadets.

"He wouldn't let anyone else do it! I've to give his apologies to Icheb." Tom answered.

"I'm sure he'll take the circumstances into account." Said Seven with a smile.

"The Admiral hasn't made an appearance at all yet, I was sure she'd return for this…" B'Elanna began to inform them but halted as the ceremony began.

Seven wasn't normally one for all the trappings of Starfleet ceremonies, finding them an inexplicable and inefficient use of resources, but she couldn't help but become enthralled in the emotion of it all as the cadets stepped on stage as a cadet and left as an ensign, single gold collar pip gleaming in the sun, reflecting the beaming smiles of Starfleet's newest officers. Finally the name they'd been waiting for echoed through the park and Seven found herself joining in full heartedly with the cheer that rose up from the Voyager contingent as Icheb stepped up in the full formal uniform of a science officer, his face stoic and professional while being awarded the pip but a real smile flickering across his features as he spotted his friends in the crowd before joining the rest of the ensigns at the rear of the stage. Eventually just as the ceremony seemed to be winding down the attending Admiral, head of Starfleet Academy came forward, "I'm sure you'll all join me in giving all of this year's graduates' warm congratulations but now it's time for our closing speech by this year's valedictorian, an extraordinary young man by anyone's standards, Ensign Icheb!"

The park broke into applause but Seven sat in dazed, happy shock glancing over at a beaming Chakotay. "You knew?" she asked incredulously.

Chakotay took her hand. "He wanted to surprise you honey."

Tom laughed. "What surprise? It's Icheb for crying out loud!"

Seven sat back, a proud smile filling her features. "True." She replied before listening in as he began his speech.

"Thank you for attending this celebration in honour of the graduating class of 2380. I'm sure I speak for us all when I say this has been a highly significant day in our lives so far but I speak as an individual to say that I am impressed and awed by this organisation which for me as my first true contact with the Federation has guided my development to such an extent and I am proud to follow in the footsteps of those on this stage before me and hope to do them justice. Also, it is my dearest hope that the Academy continues to offer the acceptance and camaraderie which has been extended to me during my time there and I'm sure contributes a great deal to the strength of Starfleet. Thank you very much for listening to me." The speech ended in a burst of applause and then Seven heard a voice behind her.

"Short but affecting, that one will be remembered mark my words. You should be proud of him Seven."

"Kathryn!" exclaimed Chakotay before Seven could recollect herself.

Seven now looked round to face her. "I've always been proud of him Admiral." She said quietly.

"You should have come and sat with us Admiral." Tom admonished but she waved him away.

"I was a late arrival, I didn't want to disrupt anything." Her eyes moved with a strange aimlessness until they settled on baby Max in his carry cot. "Ah, so this is the new arrival is it?"

"Yes, this is Max. He was born on the sixteenth." Seven replied but the Admiral's interest seemed to have moved on.

"What have you been doing B'Elanna?" she asked suddenly.

"Well Tom started a holonovel, Miral's growing more everyday and Starfleet have sucked me into helping delegate what new ship technology we give the Klingons…"

The Admiral visibly pricked up. "Really…" She began to exclaim before pain suddenly crossed her face and she clutched her head with the smallest of groans.

"Admiral, are you alright?" asked B'Elanna in concern.

For a moment Janeway's eyes were cloudy and she didn't seem to recognise any of them but the moment passed and she sat back up. "I'm just tired after such a long mission…"

"What have you been doing?" asked Seven with interest but just then Icheb arrived and they were all distracted. "Well done Icheb…I am proud of you." Said Seven simply but with a great deal of feeling.

"Thank you Seven." He replied happily.

"Ikeb! Ikeb!" Shouted Aylen joyfully, bounding up to him when he immediately picked her up and she lolled into his shoulder. "Go?" she suddenly questioned out of nowhere.

"Yes I'm going soon, away into the stars." He said, using the explanation he'd used many times with the twins.

"Miss you."

"I know…I will miss you also, but I'll come and see you." He soothed, half to the toddler and half to himself.

"Speaking of going away, are you coming on the Da Vinci as far as Bajor Icheb?" The Admiral suddenly piped up.

"Yes, if you do not mind Admiral." Said Icheb politely.

"No, of course not. I may find a use for you. The Notsinians would love to speak to you…"

"The Notsinians?" asked Chakotay, never having heard of them.

"Yes, I met them in the Delta Quadrant, have been negotiating for months. They're such an enlightened people, we could learn so much…" Her voice abruptly changed from the wistful to the bitter. "Of course Starfleet doesn't think we should get involved there again…" Her voice grew faint and she stumbled, Seven catching her by the arm.

"I will get a doctor for you Admiral…" Seven began.

"_No_!" She exclaimed vehemently before recovering her wits. "That's unnecessary thank you Seven." She said coldly.

Chakotay pulled Seven aside. "These Notsinians, have you heard of them?"

"Not at all. The Admiral's behaviour seems erratic, perhaps it is not good for her to…"

Their whispered conversation was interrupted by Tom's excited exclamation, "Harry's a dad! He just called!" This piece of news distracted them from the Admiral's slightly odd behaviour for the rest of the day.

**A/n: Please review! I hope it's not too bad.**

**I've just realised I've been writing this for over six months now and there's no end in sight. I hope you're still enjoying it.**


	49. Chapter 49

Chakotay ran a tired hand through his hair as he stepped through the front door at the end of his first day of work after three months paternity leave and hastily threw his suitcase into the office, ready for a quiet night in with his family. As he turned towards the kitchen he met Seven coming to meet him with Max balanced expertly on her hip and a slightly victorious smile on her lips. "How was your day?" she asked.

"A little stressful but okay." He replied as he studied her face. "What's up? You look pleased about something."

"Your observation is accurate. I believe the twins' training is complete."

He looked at her in disbelief. "They didn't have any accidents at all?"

"None." She replied, her smile widening in relief as it hadn't exactly been the easier or most pleasant of parenting duties.

"That's great!" he beamed. "Where are they?" At that moment two bundles of twenty two month energy bounded into him in welcome and he immediately bent down to hug them properly. "Papa's so proud of you! You're potty trained now. That'll make things easier for Mama while I'm at work won't it?" he praised as they babbled away to him, completely unconcerned about the furore they'd caused over the past three weeks of attempts at training them.

He looked up at a frowning Seven as Aylen attempted to undo his tie for him. "Do you have to use that term? It's so infantile." She muttered as she shifted Max onto her shoulder.

"What do you expect them to say, bathroom? They're not even two yet." He answered with raised eyebrows.

"When you find the word "potty" in the dictionary I'll allow them to use it but until then…"

"It's just baby talk, they'll grow out of it…" he argued.

An oblivious Michael approached his mother and tugged on her skirt. "Mama, batwoom." He asked with admirable politeness but in the process completely undermining his father's argument.

Seven gave Max to Chakotay and guided Michael away but not before tossing a triumphant look in her husband's direction who retorted laughingly, "He's either a prodigy or a suck up you know!" Seven laughed but the sound of the phone interrupted their playful banter. "I'll get it!" he called through to Seven and went to answer it.

When Seven returned she found Chakotay sitting silently in the kitchen, any trace of his former cheerfulness obliterated. "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, concerned by the sudden change.

He lifted his eyes listlessly to hers. "Matt Whitehorse has died."

It took a few seconds for the full impact of this statement to hit Seven. "Your Maquis friend who was at our wedding? He was only…I didn't know he was ill…"

"Oh he wasn't, just dropped dead this morning while out attending to his animals. Karen went out to look for him when he didn't come in for breakfast."

Seven swallowed hard at the brutal reality of it all and went to him, stroking his face, knowing that Matt hadn't only been a Maquis colleague but a childhood friend also. "When's the funeral?" she murmured quietly.

"Thursday, up by his house in Michigan."

She moved away from him a little as her brain began to plan. "I'll inform Aunt Irene to see if she can watch the children and we'll go." He looked ready to argue but she silenced him with a gentle peck. "You'll be lonely enough, allow me to accompany you." She felt his eyes scan her for a moment but then he pulled her close, murmured something she couldn't hear and left to change a crying Max without another word. Seven watched his departing back before uttering a shaky sigh of her own and turning back to her hungry toddlers.

Seven pulled her flimsy grey shawl over her black wrap dress and shifted closer to Chakotay in the taxi that was slowly heading to the small farm just over the horizon, glancing at him anxiously as she did so. His face looked tight and strained, his eyes dull and far away. She longed to break the heavy silence that had existed between them since they'd left the house but it was as if her voice had fallen away, adequate words just wouldn't form. As if he'd seen her gaze he moved back with a sudden bitter laugh, "You know he was the most effective Maquis we had and he was the only one who completely accepted what I did on Voyager, the others…"

Seven touched his arm, the Maquis, like the Borg, wasn't something they made a habit of talking about but she knew that many of the former Maquis had not welcomed his return, had seen his role as a Federation officer as a betrayal. She felt protective anger bubble within her as she knew that Chakotay had abandoned fewer, if any, of his values than any of his detractors. "I was not fortunate enough to know him well but he was a reasonable and far sighted man." She said softly.

He smiled briefly. "He liked you too. Said he always knew I had a thing for blondes, he saved me in a bar fight over one particular girl when I was a drunk seventeen year old, it wasn't the last time he saved my life either."

Seven leaned into his shoulder. "Then this blonde owes him a great debt." She whispered, earning an affectionate kiss on the forehead from Chakotay.

The service was conducted outside in the full traditions of Chakotay's people. She forgot the frowning stares of the disapproving strangers as the melodic tones of Chakotay's native tongue, which she was actually linguistically fluent in but not culturally confident enough to use in this situation, washed over her. She found herself transfixed by the ritual of it all and the comforting affect it seemed to have on her husband. His spiritual grounding, which unlike many humanoids had never obscured but clarified his judgement, had always intrigued her as something she could never completely understand, but now she allowed herself a level of admiration and decided then and there that she would never block their children from following their father in that respect. Suddenly Chakotay's voice brought her out of her contemplation. "He was only fifty six…"

The rest of the sentence, "and I'm fifty one", thankfully went unsaid but Seven knew it had gone though his head as it had unhappily through hers and she squeezed his hand more to reassure himself than anything else. "It was a fulfilled life though." She murmured. He considered this for a moment and nodded as they made their way back to the taxi.

That night Seven descended the stairs and entered the living room to see him sitting over a large photographic pad and her recurring anxiety about his state of mind returned to her. "Are you coming to bed my love?"

He turned, caught her worried face and smiled gently. "I'm just looking over old photos sweetheart." Intrigued Seven bent over and saw one of Chakotay and Matt as young boys holding some sort of sporting trophy aloft. He smiled at her expression. "Don't be impressed, it was only a consolation sports day prize at elementary school."

Seven laughed softly as she peered at another photograph, recognising Chakotay's mother, Aylen's namesake, as a girl but not the fair headed woman beside her. "Who's that?" she asked curiously, "She doesn't appear to be Native American."

"My grandmother? She wasn't, her name was Dawn and she was quite the character! I'm not the first in my family to make an unconventional marriage…"

Seven hit him lightly on the arm. "Oh "unconventional" am I?" she teased, kissing him as she did so but after a few minutes the phone interrupted them.

"Who would phone at eleven at night?" Chakotay asked as Seven went to answer it. The screen immediately showed a stressed and upset looking Doctor.

"What's wrong Doctor?" asked Seven, fearful for Icheb far away on Deep Space Nine.

He gulped hard before answering. "You both need to come to Starfleet Medical _now_. It's the Admiral, she's been a victim of mind control…"

**A/n: I hope this chapter wasn't too boring until the cliff-hanger. Please review!**

**I'm thinking of setting up a C/7 community since there doesn't seem to be one, what do you think good idea or bad idea?**


	50. Chapter 50

Seven felt a cold chill travel up her back as they walked down Starfleet Medical's darkened and deathly still corridors. She couldn't help moving slightly closer to Chakotay as he pushed the stroller, its smooth wheels the only sound other than their nervously clicking shoes as they hurried to the Doctor's office. The twins' faces peeked drowsily out from under their hoods as they shifted restlessly, unused to being taken from their beds at such a time and in such a rushed, anxious fashion. Finally at the end of what suddenly seemed a desolate trek, though they had not noticed the distance during happier visits, the Doctor's office came into view, he was expectantly waiting in the doorway. "Good, you're here." He muttered as he stepped aside to let them in to join Tom, B'Elanna, Harry and a disturbingly harrowed looking Tuvok. The Doctor frowned uneasily as Chakotay parked the stroller and Seven sank into the nearest chair, setting an oblivious and sleeping Max down beside her in his carry cot. "Did you have to bring them?" he asked.

"I'm sorry Doctor; we couldn't get a babysitter at midnight." Chakotay responded with unusual sharpness as he joined Seven.

Danielle, the Doctor's long term girlfriend, appeared out of the shadows, smiling softly at the little ones. "I'll take them next door and watch them while you all talk." She suggested. Seven nodded gratefully and carefully handed Max over to her before following her into the neighbouring room with the stroller.

As she quietly turned to leave Aylen began to whimper fretfully, reaching out for her in desperation. "Mama! Mama…" Michael was even less consolable, his face crumpling with tears.

Seven knelt on the floor, aching to pick them up and take them home but restraining herself to soothing kisses. "Everything's fine babies, don't worry. Danielle's here with you and Papa and I are in next door okay?"

"Go home…" mumbled Michael, unsettled by the strange demeanour of the adults around him.

"We'll go home soon sweetheart, I promise." Seven said as confidently and as calmly as she could, thankfully they quietened with her reassurances and with another quick grateful glance to Danielle she returned to the others.

On seeing Seven re-enter the last of Tom's patience drained away and he turned to the Doctor, fists clenched. "So Doctor, now that everyone's here are you finally going to enlighten us? What the hell happened to the Admiral? What makes you think it's mind control for God's sake?"

The Doctor ran a stressed hand over his balding scalp and leaned heavily against the wall, his eyes quickly taking in all their apprehensive faces before turning to Tuvok. "I think you'd better say how she was found Lieutenant."

All eyes turned to Tuvok wearing, to strangers perhaps, a perfectly Vulcan expression of logical composure but to his friends and colleagues in the room he looked more worried and tense, more _emotional_, than any one of them had ever seen him. As he began to speak, in a controlled but distinctly pessimistic tone, mental warning bells began to ring in the heads of the uninformed. "I was contacted at 2138 this evening Earth time, by Starfleet Security. An intruder had been found in the most classified section of their building, transmitting then destroying everything from ship logs and personnel reports to security plans, war scenarios and diplomatic communiqués from every corner of the quadrant and beyond. When they raided the building they found the Admiral…"

"Wait, doesn't the Admiral have the highest clearance possible? Maybe it was someone else!" B'Elanna exclaimed hotly.

"Yes she has every right to be there under certain circumstances, they could not believe it was her at first but her behaviour was so erratic, so violent upon discovery that there was no other explanation. After a thirty minute fire fight she just collapsed…" Tuvok's voice wavered for a second before continuing normally. "…that's when I called the Doctor."

"What could have caused her to attack her own people?" Harry whispered in disbelief.

"I think I have a partial answer to that." The Doctor said quietly as he pressed a button on the screen on the wall and a clear image appeared, not many of them could identify but both Tom and Seven inhaled sharply.

"That's her brain?" asked Tom tersely, recognising a brain scan but not the horrible white patches of destruction which covered a disturbingly large amount of the image. He looked closer, his eyes picking out something metallic. "What's that?"

"Unknown alien technology, from the little I can tell it contains a virus engineered to destroy the synapses controlling judgement, especially the fear of death, emotion, morals…"

"Everything that makes a person who they are." Chakotay said in a low tone.

The Doctor didn't deny it. "When the process reaches a certain stage, the device seems to go from destruction to outright control, giving subliminal commands and the like."

"So that's why she raided Starfleet Security, to spy and why she's been acting strange these last couple of months." Harry murmured.

The Doctor swallowed hard. "Not a couple of months, a couple of years at least. It's been a very slow process."

"Starfleet's working theory is that she was infiltrated soon after her arrival in the Gamma Quadrant during her maiden mission on the U.S.S Da Vinci." Tuvok stated stoically.

B'Elanna choked in shock. "Are you saying no one's spoken to the real Admiral Janeway in two years?"

"She was real, the affect must have been slow, but her altered judgement would have affected her behaviour with us all…"

"Who did this? It can't be the Dominion; they would've used this during the war…what about those Notsinians she kept mentioning recently?" Harry asked urgently.

Seven rose abruptly from her chair and approached the scan, tracing her fingers over it, her expression lost in deep thought. "Seven?" Chakotay asked uneasily. "I thought you hadn't heard of the Notsinians."

"I haven't. Not under that designation anyway." She answered before her voice began strange, a stilted, distant whisper, her eyes trance like. "People of Ashes…Destroyers of Infinity…."

"Seven?" Chakotay asked, more forcefully this time, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Collective memories?" he asked quietly as she came out of it and focused on him.

Seven nodded slowly. "Those are the names Species 4789 of Gamma Sector 658.9 had for them, the enemies that defeated them two centuries ago, left them so weak as to fall to the Borg. Everything burned…" Her eyes followed the damaged sections of the Admiral's brain. "…even the minds of their soldiers."

These words made everyone fall still but then they focused again on the Admiral. "Can you heal her?" asked Harry, almost inaudibly.

"Heal?" echoed the Doctor bitterly. "More like rebuild, rehabilitate. Amnesia on some level is a certainty, we'll be lucky if it's only the last two years she forgets."

B'Elanna seemed to snap then. "These _beings_ have stolen who knows what and wrecked the Admiral for who knows how long! We have to find a way to fight them!"

"Starfleet and the Federation Council are meeting in the morning to discuss the next step…" Tuvok said quietly, almost resigned in tone.

"So they should be! We have to do something _now_, they can heal the Admiral!" Tom exclaimed angrily.

"What do you suggest we do? Go look for them? Didn't you hear Seven? That would be suicide! We don't know who we're up against!" Harry retorted.

"Quiet!" Chakotay suddenly said sharply. "Our first priority is to support the Admiral, everything else can wait." He said in a low commanding tone. Seven felt grateful for his presence of mind but was deeply relieved when Max's hungry cries gave her a viable excuse to leave the room, suddenly a hotbed of anger, anxiety and fear.

In the quiet near solitude of the other room Seven fed Max and sat cuddling him for her own comfort long after he'd settled back to sleep as memories of drones from Species 4789 of their torture at the hands of these unknowns made her shiver in fear. Raised voices seeped through the wall, echoed arguments she knew would be repeated again and again over the coming days. The noise roused both twins from their light sleep so Seven put Max comfortably back in his carry cot and lifted both her elder children into her lap. "Can Mama hold you for a little while babies?" she asked quietly as they cuddled in, nodding tired assent, not even jostling for dominance in her arms. Distractedly Seven played with a lock of Aylen's black hair, two years, the twins hadn't even been born yet when the Admiral left, would that conversation they'd had then be the last? All that disruption last year, had the aliens been controlling that offensive conversation or had their interference only revealed her true feelings towards Chakotay and herself? It was irrelevant now. They'd both have to put such things aside if they had any hope of recovering her. Footsteps jerked her from her thoughts but she relaxed as she saw Chakotay approached her. "They want to be proactive don't they?" she asked quietly as he took her hand and squeezed it.

"Can you blame them after what's happened?" he questioned seriously, his eyes fixed on hers.

"No…but the chance of winning such a confrontation is negligible Chakotay."

"If the Borg assimilated them then we have a good chance…"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you. The Borg didn't succeed in assimilating them, never traced them in fact, only fed from the carcases of civilisations in their wake. Species 4789 was one of the most advanced civilisations the Collective ever assimilated, if they can fall…"

Chakotay mentally finished the sentence she left hanging, if they can fall we can. At one point in his life he would have found a species never giving in to the Borg reassuring but after his experiences with Species 8472 he had never again followed the mantra of my enemy's enemy is my friend. "Listen, the Federation is far from infallible but we've faced up to things before and prevailed. Unfortunately it's a case of wait and see at the moment…" His eyes moved to their three sleepy young children. "Either way our priorities are _never_ going to change okay?"

Seven smiled softly down at her immediate family. "Perspective is a great asset."

"A gift from the Sprits scarcely given, my father used to say." Chakotay murmured as he leaned forward into the twins' faces. "Hey, you two ready to go home to bed now?" he asked gently.

Aylen nodded silently but her brother more chirpily responded, "Yes Papa, home now."

**A/n: Not a very Christmassy chapter was it? Please review and tell me what you think, don't worry this story will always be focused on C/7 family fluff but that doesn't mean I can't write complex subplots. Merry Christmas and hopefully I'll be back with "The Hansen Identity" on either the 26****th**** or 27****th****.**


	51. Chapter 51

Seven and Chakotay walked together into Starfleet Medical. Since the Admiral had been diagnosed the month before they had come to see her once a week. Many other crewmembers did the same but she couldn't remember any of them, gradually she memorised her life by rote but everyone was aware that it would never be the same again. As the door of the Admiral's room came into view Seven saw a man leave the room and felt Chakotay stiffen beside her. She cast him a questioning glance but he ignored her, approaching the man with a hard look on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked sharply. Seven frowned, deeply unsettled by her husband's uncharacteristic rudeness.

The man quickly recollected himself, extending his hand. "You must be Chakotay and Seven, Kathryn's expecting you." Reading Seven's blank expression he introduced himself, "Mark, Mark Kerr."

Seven managed somehow to keep herself from flinching, now in full understanding of Chakotay's animosity. "Admiral Janeway's ex-fiancé?" she asked coldly, never one to beat around the bush.

His eyes glimmered sadly. "Yes, that's right."

"You do realise that she's ill and certainly doesn't need upheaval?" Chakotay asked, making a quick mental assessment of the man's demeanour. If Kathryn was upset by memories of him all their work would be undone.

A wan smile flickered across Mark's face. "I understand your concern but it's proven unnecessary. She has no memories of me, good or bad."

"That is fortunate for you; she has forgotten how you wronged her." Seven remarked tersely.

"I haven't. That will stay with me forever, but she will always have a friend in me and she needs them right now."

"Yes, she does." Said Chakotay quietly, finding that he was reluctantly warming to the man.

"I can't believe what happened, I met her just before she went on the DaVinci and she was like her old self, if scarred by her experiences…but two months ago she was so distant, I suppose I know the reason now if that's any comfort." From his face both Seven and Chakotay could tell that it wasn't and he sighed heavily. "I'll leave her with you for now. Nice to meet you."

"And you." The couple murmured in stifled, polite unison.

As Chakotay grabbed the door handle Seven touched his arm as she glanced at Mark's retreating back. "It was brave of him to come, don't you think?"

Chakotay gave a commiserating nod. "Honourable too, I'm not sure if I would've done it."

Seven smiled confidently at him. "I know you would have." He gave her hand an affectionate, grateful squeeze and together they stepped inside.

The Admiral was gently reclined in an easy chair by her bed and gave them a warm if distant smile as they entered, distracted by the new arrival at her feet.

"What is that Admiral?" asked Seven stepping back slightly, away from the creature.

"It's a dog Seven, a puppy. The Borg don't have them, do they?" She asked in a joking tone but Seven saw an uncertainty in her eyes, a veiled real question.

"No." Seven answered, joining Chakotay on the lumpy couch across from where the Admiral sat, drawing her feet underneath away from the dog's, a young Irish Setter if she wasn't mistaken, nipping teeth. After three years on Earth the habit of keeping pets was still a mystery to her, why would you want something you couldn't communicate with and therefore couldn't fully trust in your presence?

"Who gave you the dog Admiral?" asked Chakotay in order to start conversation.

"Mark, an old friend of mine according to him. He was in just before you…Apparently this puppy is the granddaughter of the dog I had before I left on Voyager, her name is Flame."

"Appropriate." Seven commented, as the dog's lustrous red fur blazed like fire under the light from the window.

Chakotay cleared his throat awkwardly. "He didn't upset you did he Admiral?"

"No, quite the opposite. He was very friendly." More natural than any of you, she thought restlessly before wondering about the reason for the question. "Why would he?" she asked.

"You just hadn't seen him for a while…In your old life I mean." Chakotay answered quickly as he rose to go to the replicator. "Coffee Admiral?"

"Oh no, just water! I can't seem to develop a taste for coffee now, I must have been in dire need of caffeine on Voyager to drink the vile stuff black!"

For several seconds Seven was speechless as the reality of the situation hit her again. Chakotay was equally shocked, standing frozen halfway to the replicator. To cover their discomfiture Seven turned to him, speaking softly, "Camomile tea please my love." He nodded quickly and pressed a steaming cup into her hands as he shakily sat back down.

The Admiral was aware of undercurrents in the room and despite not knowing the reason for them changed the subject. "Where are your little ones today?"

"Our children are with my Aunt Irene while we're here Admiral." Seven replied, after a few reassuring gulps of tea.

"I don't _mind_ you bringing them you know." The Admiral rebuked quietly.

Seven's head dipped in embarrassment. "No, of course not Admiral."

"Even a sick woman as a right to a little activity now and then…" The Admiral continued.

"We'll bring them next week if you'd like." Chakotay suggested just as voices wafted in from the hall through the room's open door. He recognised them as the Doctor and the Deputy Head of Starfleet Security, Admiral Grant.

"Admiral Janeway isn't well enough yet Admiral…" The Doctor said.

"I'm not here to interrogate her Doctor, only to give her a heads up. It's almost guaranteed there'll be a Federation fleet going into the Gamma Quadrant now, though after all the bureaucracy it most likely won't materialise until next summer, much later than we'd all like of course… I though Kathryn would want to know after what the Notsinians did to her…" Grant said loudly.

"You know it was the Notsinians?" the Doctor asked.

"Every piece of intel points to them…" Chakotay saw all the colour drain from Seven's face and hurriedly closed the door to shut out the conversation but the Admiral had noticed Seven's apprehension.

"Are you against fighting them even after what they did to me showed how dangerous they were?" she asked Seven hotly.

"It is precisely because I am more fully aware of their capabilities that I am against any rash decisions!" The Admiral sat back with shining eyes and Seven couldn't help continuing in a remorseful tone, "Revenge recovers nothing Admiral."

The Admiral turned her head to the window with a bitter sniff. "No…it certainly doesn't."

**A/n: Really short I know but my computer time is limited and I've decided the next bit needs its own chapter. Please review and thanks to Sweetdeath04 for giving me chapter 2 of "Prelude" to read.**


	52. Chapter 52

**A/n: Bajoran names are written surname first in case anyone's confused. Enjoy the chapter!**

Michael tugged his mother's skirt until her gaze moved down to him. "Yes baby?" Seven asked as she shifted Max's weight from one shoulder to the other.

"Look Mama!" he exclaimed excitedly before pulling his cone shaped party cone from his head to over his nose, though it was large enough to cover his mouth and therefore muffle his voice as he made his point, "I Pinocchio!"

Aylen heard this and lifted her head from her new picture book with a slight roll of her blue eyes. "Pinocchio not real."

"Is!" Michael exclaimed hotly, stamping up to his sister with a challenging look in his eyes.

"Not, not, not!" Aylen chanted, now discarding her book for the more enjoyable activity of winding up her brother.

Michael looked about to physically retort when a quick thinking Chakotay scooped him up and tickled him. "What's made your nose grow? A lie?" he teased.

Michael frowned for a second, not wanting to admit to such an offense. "No…a hat." He flung the party hat from his face and onto the floor. "Gone now." He stated as a jealous Aylen wrapped her short arms round Chakotay's legs, almost making him fall over.

With a laugh he glanced at Seven who had been watching the whole scene in amusement. "Tell everyone _not_ to get them chocolate next year, we know for sure now it makes them hyperactive."

"That would eliminate the challenge…" Seven began but was interrupted by the ringing phone. Smiling at Chakotay's tangled predicament she said, "I'll get it."

Going through to the other room she sat down to look at the screen, answering it while trying to stop an overexcited Max from scrambling off her lap, a soft laugh came from the caller, "Hello Seven, are you preoccupied?"

"Icheb!" she exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you were on a research mission on Bajor with no comm. links."

"It ended early, I returned to Deep Space Nine this morning. Are Aylen and Michael enjoying their birthdays?" He smiled at Max who was stubbornly reaching out at the screen. "Hi Max and how are you today?" he asked indulgently.

The baby gurgled at him cheerfully and Seven kissed him affectionately before turning round in her chair, "Aylen, Michael! Icheb wants to speak to you." The effect was immediate. Both twins came bounding in, far ahead of their bedraggled father. Aylen immediately grabbed the edge of the desk in order to pull herself in view of the phone while Michael went a step further and tried to share his mother's lap with Max, causing the baby to start crying. "Careful Michael." Seven reprimanded. "Apologise to Max please."

Michael gave his little brother a gentle pat on the head. "Sorry Max." he said quickly before turning his attention back to Icheb, waving wildly at the screen. "Hello Icheb!"

"Hello Michael, Hello Aylen. How was your second birthday?" He smiled at the toddlers, who both beamed back.

"Good!" Aylen said before running her presents off on her small fingers. "I got books…a teddy…playdoh… "

Michael interrupted. "And I got cars…and ships and…"

"Your presents from me should arrive soon…" Icheb told them, stopping their obvious competitiveness before an argument brewed.

Aylen looked at him hopefully. "You come back?"

"No Aylen…I couldn't get leave, I'm sorry but if your mother agrees I'll come back for Christmas okay?"

Aylen, hands on hips, looked to her mother. "Mama, when Christmas?" she demanded.

Chakotay knelt down before her. "Don't be thinking of Christmas right now honey. Your birthday isn't even over yet…" She looked crestfallen but all he did was take both her and Michael by the hand. "Come with me and let Mama have a talk with Icheb okay?"

Seven smiled gratefully at her husband as he led their children away and she turned back to Icheb. "Can you really come back for Christmas?"

"Yes, I managed to arrange it, if you will allow me to stay with you of course…"

"You may stay here whenever you wish." She said firmly but noticed that he looked a little awkward. "There's something else?" she probed.

"Yes…_someone_ else to be precise." He stuttered slightly. "She's my colleague…my friend. I was wondering if she could come too. I've known her since the Academy and we've both been posted here…"

"You'd like me to meet your romantic interest?" asked Seven bluntly, though with a slight twitch of her lips as she remembered Icheb's intervention with herself and Chakotay.

He didn't deny it. "Her name is Vitarri Naira."

Seven felt her eyebrows rise as she registered her name. "Bajoran?"

"Yes, from the Dakur province. She was one of the first Starfleet recruits when Bajor joined the Federation. "I've told her about you, she really wants to meet you and other members of the Voyager crew."

"I'm afraid it may only be the seven of us for Christmas dinner. The Kims are going to Debbie's family this year, the Wildmans will still be on Ktaria and Tom and B'Elanna are having the Admiral at their house…"

Icheb interrupted her anxiously. "And how is the Admiral?"

"Coping admirably, considering. She's out of hospital now."

A dark, angered frown crossed his features and lingered even as he murmured, "That's good news."

Seven was disturbed by the expression on his normally calm, gentle face. She had worried for a while that he wasn't dealing with the Admiral's illness as well as she'd hoped but then he knew as much of the Notsinians and their dangers as much as she…Hopefully meeting the Admiral, he hadn't been able to return since her diagnosis, would settle the inner turmoil she sensed. "It is." She said quietly. "I'm looking forward to meeting Miss Vitarri Icheb; she is welcome to come with you."

His face brightened considerably. "I'll contact you again soon."

"I look forward to it." She replied before the phone clicked off and she lay back in the chair with a sigh, pulling Max closer as she heard Chakotay walk in.

"That's the twins down for their nap." He read her strained expression and touched her shoulder. "Hey, what's up? Icheb not able to come after all?"

"Oh he's coming, his girlfriend too."

"Girlfriend?" Chakotay smiled. "Well I suppose he's almost twenty one now. Don't let that bother you, Icheb has good taste, I'm sure…"

"You misunderstand. It is perfectly reasonable for him to have a girlfriend. The problem is he's unsettled by something and hiding it…"

"Well, he's entitled to be anxious. You have been too and don't deny it. This whole thing with the Admiral has upset us all. Listen I'm sure that if he wants to say something he'll tell you when he comes, until then try not to fret over it okay sweetheart?"

"I will make an attempt." She conceded before standing up and kissing him. "For now I have to try and find a recipe for hasperat."

Christmas Eve dawned clear and bright but by the evening Seven was struggling to maintain any brightness in her demeanour. The twins were overexcited and Max was clingy and tired, in hindsight it hadn't been a good idea to begin to wean him in December, the process had been prolonged and exhausting, Seven was almost as irritated as the baby as she assessed the decorations for the eighth time. Maybe everything was a little over exuberant, it wasn't as if the Bajoran had any idea about Christmas, perhaps it would prove overwhelming… Just then she heard the doorbell and Chakotay's greeting as he answered. Turning on her heel she went with slow apprehension to the door seeing Icheb and a petite young Bajoran woman with shoulder length chestnut hair and large green eyes who smiled at her nervously. "I'm glad to see you Icheb. Welcome Ensign Vittari."

"Thank you ma'am. Call me Naira please."

Seven nodded. "I'm Seven of Nine, you may call me Seven. Come, I've made hasperat for you." Chakotay shot her a reassuring smile as Seven headed for the living room. Icheb made to follow her but she stopped him. "You're both staying in the guest room, perhaps you could take the cases up?"

"Of course." He replied, gathering up the two cases and heading upstairs, dodging the twins the whole way.

Soon they were all settled in the living room, Naira with Aylen in her lap and Icheb with Michael. Aylen was fascinated by Naira's elaborate earring and made a grab for it exclaiming, "Pretty!"

"Aylen!" Chakotay said in warning but Naira just laughed.

"Don't worry about it; I've got four little brothers and sisters." Seven just then came in with the hasperat and Naira immediately took a piece. "Oh my!" she exclaimed. "This is homemade, thank you! I know it takes hours, even on Bajor replicated is prevalent now."

"I enjoy cooking." Seven replied as she sat down beside Chakotay who started conversation again.

"So, you're both studying the wormhole at the moment?" he asked as he sipped some wine.

"The Celestial Temple? Yes, until next year." Naira replied.

"Any plans after that?"

"Well, we both managed to get a place on Admiral Grant's Gamma Quadrant taskforce, it leaves next June but I'm sure Icheb's told you both all about that…" Naira trailed off as she read her hosts' shocked expressions and Icheb's shamed face. She turned to him angrily, "For the love of the Prophets Icheb! You told me you'd tell them _before_ we came…"

Seven rose abruptly, her face stony. "Come with me Icheb." She ordered icily. He followed her wordlessly into the kitchen where she went to the sink, keeping her face away from him. "Admiral Grant's taskforce?" she asked in a frighteningly steady tone.

"Yes, to find the Notsinians." He confirmed in the same tone.

"You know as well as I do how likely that is to prove futile!" She whirled round to face him. "Why are you even considering going?"

"They are a threat to the Federation, as a Starfleet officer it is my duty to help protect it. My Borg knowledge can predict…"

"There are constant threats to the Federation. That doesn't mean you should go attacking blindly!"

"After what they did to the Admiral it's more dangerous to leave things as they are…"

Seven's voice cracked. "Do you want to end up like her? You know what happened when the Collective underestimated Species 8472…"

"It won't be like that. Only we have any idea, that's why I have to go! I understand why you and most of the Voyager crew cannot go, you all have young families. I am unburdened in that respect…"

"You have family _here_!" she retorted, feeling tears form at the edges of her eyes.

Icheb's face softened for a moment. "I know that Seven. That's what I'm protecting. Please understand that I_ am_ going.

Seven let her head drop as he turned from her, fighting back tears and anxious nausea. As he reached the door she managed to look him in the face as she croaked out, "Make your survival your first priority."

His lips twisted sadly. "Understood." He murmured as he left the room.

**A/n: Please review!**


	53. Chapter 53

Chakotay and Naira sat still in their chairs as they awkwardly watched their respective former Borg lovers disappear into the kitchen and raised, strained voices reached their ears. They shared an embarrassed look of understanding just as they both, particularly Chakotay, fought an urge to intervene. Suddenly the house fell into a deafening silence, Naira cleared her throat, partly in cautious relief and partly just to create a sound. Chakotay on the other hand rose from his chair, knowing both participants well enough to know that stifled silence boded worse than a full on argument. He saw Icheb slip quietly out from the kitchen alone out of the corner of his eye and walked out into the hall to meet him. Icheb instantly stiffened defensively at the sight of him. "My decision is made Chakotay." He said coolly but his eyes shifted back to the room where he'd just left Seven and Chakotay could see doubts reflected in them for a second before true to form they were hidden behind an impenetrable Borg wall.

"I assumed that." Chakotay replied, running a hand through his hair with a sigh before deciding to continue, "Look Icheb, I know you well enough to know that you've examined this decision from every possible angle before making it but I'd appreciate it if you went over your reasons."

Icheb gave him a slow, respectful nod. "A reasonable request, I can assure you that I have thought it through and I am fully aware of the dangers but I am a Starfleet officer and as such it is my duty to protect the Federation. Even more than that…after what happened to the Admiral I feel it would be a serious wrong not to use my knowledge of the Notsinian threat to the full advantage of Starfleet, that can best be done in the field…"

Chakotay put up his hand to stop him, he'd heard enough. "I understand…" He started softly, "…but I need you to understand that revenge may be a good motivator but its not what you turn to for guidance. Take my word for it that it can blind you…" He trailed off, suddenly in the mind of his younger self, the one that had abandoned his Starfleet post for the Maquis. "None of us want that for you, not me, not the Admiral and certainly not Seven…"

Icheb swallowed hard before determinedly meeting his eyes. "I realise that it is a delicate balance. I will keep your advice in the forefront of my mind Chakotay."

"Good." He glanced at the unhelpful door of the kitchen where Seven was still voluntarily enclosed and squeezed the younger man's shoulder. "Remember that you don't have anything to prove, to Starfleet or otherwise."

Icheb's lips flicked upwards in dry humour, though his eyes wavered. "On the contrary, I intend to critique the efficiency of every aspect of their plans as soon as I join the task force." Chakotay just smiled in response and let him return to Naira, what else could he do? He would've been doing the same thing if he were in Icheb's position.

The blood thudded powerfully round Seven's ears almost as rapidly as her thoughts and yet she felt horribly useless as she stood there, her emotions aimless, unhelpful, irrelevant. As her gut twisted with a fear of loss she knew instinctively would most likely never leave her she leaned heavily against the kitchen countertop, tilting her head back and fixing her tear blurred vision on an insignificant section of ceiling as she tried, through a Borg ingrained sense of habit, to methodically sort through her emotions. For her any sort of confliction, mental or emotional was worse than any strong feeling, no matter how strong, as long as it was definite and quantifiable it didn't disturb her so completely. Hazily she was aware of Chakotay's familiar voice outside the door in conversation with Icheb so she didn't even feel, let alone express surprise when he entered and approached her. "Seven…" Even hearing such a sympathetic tone from him seemed to make the reality of the situation set in with further pain so she shifted away from him, distractedly rubbing her itchy, damp face with the back of her hand.

Despite thinking he'd prepared himself Chakotay was still shocked and upset by how desolately withdrawn his wife looked as she half heartedly hid her face with her hand and muttered, "I assume you are aware of the parameters of the situation?"

"Yes honey, I am." Driven by the need to comfort he stood in front of her and grasped the hands gripping the countertop until the knuckles went white. "I know it's a shock but try not to be angry with him. Many new recruits are reckless, desperate for action…I was, but Icheb's not like that, his reasons are…painful but sound…"

"I wish I could be truly angry but I can't!" Seven burst out tearfully. "His reasons for going are more understandable than mine for keeping him here…" She choked out, "I know that if I was in the same situation I would do the same but that knowledge makes it worse…"

"Listen, just because your reasons are purely emotional doesn't make them any less valid! They're very understandable; don't beat yourself up for being frightened and upset. If you bottle it up you'll find it harder to cope in the long run…"

"I know that!" she cried out, gasping hard from the effort of all this upheaval. After a long pause she gathered up her shredded thoughts and set them out. "Let's go back through, we have guests and are being rude…" She began methodically setting out a drinks tray.

"Seven, don't be ridiculous…" Chakotay began. She could read the frustration on his face and it took all her strength not to drop what she was holding, collapse into his arms and cry but as it was she walked quietly back into the living room.

Over the next few days Seven was ludicrously glad for the children's infectious and distracting enthusiasm for Christmas as the relations between the adults were gradually defrosted by the amazingly time consuming activities of building toys up only for them to be played with to near destruction and tolerating the cold to entertain toddlers in the snow. By the time the last day of Icheb and Naira's visit dawned, relations between them all, even Seven and Icheb were almost normal, though the strain showed in all their faces. Chakotay was still surprised though when on the brink of another trip out into their snowy garden Icheb approached him with a request. "Chakotay…may we have a talk?" he asked nervously.

"Yes, by all means." He replied, taken aback, although he noticed Seven looked less than surprised as she dressed the twins in their coats and hats.

"Naira and I can entertain the children by ourselves for a little while." She piped up as she stepped outside with a heavily bundled Max in her arms.

"Yes of course we can." Naira agreed, leading Aylen out by the hand and closing the door.

Chakotay hoped Seven wasn't getting her hopes up that Icheb was retracting his decision; he knew that was unlikely despite Icheb's strange demeanour. "What can I do for you?" he finally asked when he saw Icheb wasn't going to begin.

Icheb seemed to brace himself before blurting out, "How did you know when to ask Seven to marry you?"

Chakotay had thought that living with Seven, who could come out with the most unexpected questions imaginable, would have prepared him for anything but obviously not this. "Naira I take it?" he asked once he'd struggled over the shock. Icheb nodded vigorously. "Well, I just decided I wanted to I suppose…" He began lamely but Icheb continued to look at him expectantly. "If you're considering it then listen to what your heart is telling you…" He wondered if Icheb would get such a reference but a new worry entered his head. "Are you sure, with you both joining the task force that it's the right time?"

"You don't think she'll say yes?" Icheb asked anxiously.

"I didn't say that, I'm quite sure she will!" He sighed. "Just wait for the right time, it'll come but don't get too attached to whatever plan you make. I was a few days later than planned in asking Seven."

"Everyone knows the Grand Canyon story; I will try to be less…clumsy."

"We'll see about that." Chakotay replied with a laugh.

The night of Icheb and Naira's departure, long after the children had been put to bed, Seven sat at her vanity, methodically brushing her hair with her back to Chakotay in bed but not focusing on her appearance one bit. "Seven are you coming to bed?" Seven nodded back to him as she slowly put down the brush and stood up. Part of her wanted to go straight past him to her alcove, every night he'd tried to coax her into talking about it and every night she'd shut him out, it was becoming tiresome. Reluctantly she joined him on the edge of the bed and he said, in response to her faraway look, "He'll be fine." She didn't deign that with a reply, just lay back onto the bed in utter silence. "He asked me on advice on how to pop the question…" Chakotay tried again, he sounded so proud of himself Seven smiled.

"I know, he asked me first. I told him to ask you since you actually were successful."

Chakotay chuckled, "I should've known, and here I was feeling special about the confidence…"

Seven turned on her side to face him and traced her fingers down his arm. "You are special…"

"Thanks love." He rubbed her back gently. "Who knows? Maybe we'll get to go to Bajor for a wedding in a few months…"

Seven felt something inside her break. "What if the last time we see them…is at their wedding?" she whispered with a sob. Without a word he pulled her tight against his chest and she let go completely, allowing herself the blessed release of crying and the comfort of Chakotay's presence.

**A/n: I'm not sure about this chapter, please review!**


	54. Chapter 54

"That ring is a _very _good choice; Clarinite is a very scared stone to the Bajoran people. Now normally a setting of this quality would be extremely _expensive_ but I'm a romantic at heart so I'll give it to you for just fifteen bars of latinum…"

Icheb's eyes moved from the Ferengi's persuasive, preening face and down to the display case laid out in front of him, a frown of nervous concentration knitting his brows and emphasising his implants as he interrupted the Ferengi's sales pitch. "Are you certain your information is accurate Quark? I have never seen clarinite in the station's temple…"

Quark backtracked, swallowing as he struggled to continue, "Well…" The young Borg lifted his eyebrows expectantly, waiting for him to recover. "Of course it's not! It's not actually _scared_ in the traditional Bajoran sense, nothing to do with the Prophets, more of a folk legend about eternal love…"

"Eternal love…" Icheb mused almost wistfully. Perhaps he should just purchase the ring; he hadn't been having much luck so far apart for receiving Naira's father's permission but all the other Bajoran engagement traditions were proving more difficult to fulfil. Apparently Bajoran women expected to be given at least one bouquet of white Dakarian roses, impossible to get since they were out of season and the ones in the hothouses had been pre-ordered by more forward looking men than he, and a prayer written by their fiancé in Ancient Bajoran without the help of a universal translator to prove the man's perseverance and spirituality… Easier said than done for a former Borg drone whose spiritual experience was limited to attending Starfleet ethics class… Suddenly a sharp female voice behind him broke his dispirited reverie, "Quark! What are you pawning off in that crate of yours? I'm sure you realise that there's fines for selling black market merchandise anywhere on the station, _even_ your bar. Go back to selling drinks or we'll have to talk about in one of the security cells, is that understood?" Colonel Kira, commander of Deep Space Nine and Icheb's ultimate superior while on the station, told the Ferengi in a low tone.

Quark patted Icheb apologetically on the shoulder as he hurriedly packed his case. "Sorry Ensign, I'm afraid my sales permit's just been temporarily revoked." He said loudly before hissing in his ear, "Come back later and you'll get another discount…"

"I heard that Quark." Kira reprimanded with a smirk as she calmly sipped a Klingon coffee. Icheb watched as the Ferengi retreated, grumbling something about the Colonel being even worse than Odo as he disappeared back into the depths of the bar. Kira ignored this and turned to Icheb. "So…mind telling me how you got sucked in by Quark Ensign? I know you are fully aware of the Ferengis tactics…"

"Yes…the Collective have assimilated many more effective Ferengi businessmen than Quark, I am fully aware…" Icheb trailed off, flushing in embarrassment as he realised how close he had been to being striped of ninety percent of his latinum savings by an unscrupulous Ferengi taking advantage of his desperation to fulfil Naira's expectations. His head dropped low in shame. "I apologise Colonel, it won't happen again."

Kira smiled at his sincerity. "Don't worry about it." She chuckled, "Clarinite huh? Who's the lucky girl?"

Icheb stiffened in defensive shyness. "Ensign Vittari, ma'am."

"Oh that's great! We need some good news with all that's been happening. Will you get married here, Bajor or Earth?"

Icheb was somewhat taken aback by her interest. "I do not know. It will be Naira's decision, if she accepts me…"

Kira caught the despondent note in his voice. "Why wouldn't she?"

"Well, my prayer scroll is far from satisfactory, the roses are proving unattainable and none of the rings I have appraised so far have been beautiful enough for her…" Icheb realised he was ranting on to a senior officer about something which was completely irrelevant to her and halted abruptly.

"She won't mind, it's the question and the love behind it that matters." Kira advised gently.

"I know…" He muttered, "But a Bajoran man would give her all these things and more! I don't want her to settle for anything less!" He exclaimed with sudden passion, finally expressing the crux of his concern.

Kira gave his hand a motherly squeeze. "Ensign, if she wanted a Bajoran man she'd have one, but she wants you and what _you _alone can give her."

She stood to take her take her leave after dispensing this nugget of advice to, despite outward appearances, an uncertain but sweet young man whose thanks was just as heartfelt, if unorthodox. "Thank you Colonel, I will consider your advice."

She nodded but after a thought passed rapidly through her brain turned back to him. "Oh another thing Ensign, if I were you I'd let her pick her own ring, with you buying of course, that would relieve some of your stress and tighten Quark's profit margins."

Icheb looked at her in surprise. That idea had never even occurred to him! It would suit Naira's independent streak and despite Kira's words he still didn't trust his taste in jewellery. "It seems I am in your debt Colonel." He told her softly.

Kira laughed, "I'll remember that next time Starfleet asks for a station efficiency report, maybe you could write it for me!"

That night Icheb returned to the quarters he and Naira shared with a knot of anxiety constantly tightening in his stomach. Naira noticed that something was off with her boyfriend and made several attempts to draw him out as they sat down to their evening meal. After blabbering on about the few humorous things that had happened throughout the day she remembered something sure to perk him up. "Seven called while you were doing that overnight shift to say that the kids Christmas presents finally arrived…" She picked up the dirty dishes and headed to the replicator to dispose of them. "The twins told me themselves how much they love their puzzles; they're talking so much now! But Seven was saying there was a little mishap when Max ended up chewing one of the big jigsaw pieces, Poor Chakotay and Seven are having a really bad time with his teething, I told them about when I…" She turned around in irritation, thinking Icheb wasn't listening to her, only to see Icheb kneeling on the carpet in front of her. "Icheb, what are you doing?" she asked in total bemusement.

Icheb realised he was doing it wrong, on both knees instead of one, and corrected himself hurriedly, disheartened by the still clueless expression on her face. "It's…a human tradition."

Naira's brows furrowed questioningly as she looked down at him."For what?"

"For…" Icheb gulped, but then remembered Chakotay's advice, his heart was screaming at him to go through with it. "For asking someone to marry them…" He saw her mouth open but no words came to relieve his pressure so he blurted out, "I know you could marry anyone you wish but I love you and I hope…"

These murmured words brought Naira out of her stupor and onto the floor beside him, her hands hastening to caress his face. "Icheb, I've never wanted anyone else…" She began but he continued to try and explain himself.

"I'm only halfway through my prayer scroll but I'll complete it by the ceremony I promise and I haven't been able to get any Dakarian roses yet but I ordered some and they should arrive within three months…"

Naira flung her arms impatiently round his neck, stopping him mid-speech. "Icheb, I'm allergic to Dakarian roses and I couldn't read Ancient Bajoran if my life depended on it! I don't care about any of those things!"

Icheb pulled back from her embrace to gauge her sincerity. "Does that mean you'll marry me?"

"Yes!" Naira exclaimed becoming so exasperated that she kissed him deeply to prove her point.

"Do you need to go and pick the ring now?" He asked breathlessly as they broke the prolonged kiss.

Naira grinned impishly at him and sank back into his arms. "The jewellers will still be there in the morning…"

**A/n: I hope you don't mind this Icheb-centric chapter, C/7 aren't in it in person at all, sorry! They'll be back next chapter! I just thought why miss an opportunity to write some Icheb based fluff? I hope you agree, please review!**


	55. Chapter 55

Chakotay walked into the bedroom to see suitcases and their prospective contents spread throughout the room, _again_. He then saw his wife methodically packing one sitting on their bed, a deep frown of concentration set on her features. With a sigh he tried to push his point once more, "Seven, we've had this conversation, it doesn't matter if we forget a few things, they do have working replicators on Bajor you know."

Seven pointedly ignored his comment as she ran her finger down her much revised list. "I have five towels here…one for each of us, though it would probably be sensible to pack some extra and I think Max is growing out of most of his clothes…" Despite managing to maintain much of her cool Borg outer demeanour, to Chakotay's practiced ears she sounded fretful, even mildly frazzled and he took matters into his own hands, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning his chin lightly on her shoulder.

"So…" He murmured into her ear. "…how many times have you unpacked and repacked now?"

"Three." She muttered defensively, smirking with sheepish self-deprecation as Chakotay chuckled into her hair. "I wish to be thorough…"

"I know, but we'll only be away for two weeks…"

"Ten days of which will be in transit, mostly on a transport less than a quarter of the size of Voyager; we need to take a great deal to entertain the children…"

"Maybe they'll be so fascinated by their first space flight that they'll just stare out at the stars." Chakotay said jokingly.

Seven laughed, "Our children?" She questioned rhetorically with raised eyebrows as she turned in his arms to face him.

"Yes!" He laughed, jokingly indignant. "Our placid, angelically behaved children…"

Seven brought her hands up to his face lovingly. "How can you be such an optimist?" she asked with soft affection.

"Look around you and see what I have…" He murmured as he leaned in for a kiss which turned out not to be as prolonged as either desired, a large thump in the neighbouring room interrupting them. "What was that?" Chakotay asked worriedly but Seven was already halfway out of the room.

Seven walked into Michael and Aylen's room, for the time being the elder brother and sister still shared, Max taking up the much smaller, and final bedroom. She found Michael sitting whimpering on the floor next to his new bed, "Mama…I'm…hurted!" He wailed tearfully at the sight of her.

Seven knelt down beside him and pulled him into a gentle hug, "You're okay baby…" she soothed quietly while assessing the scene. Aylen, guilt making her hasty, was scrambling off the bed and onto the floor while the eleven month old Max sat cheerily in the centre, surrounded by pillows, face flushed with excitement. Seven lifted Michael out of her lap and back onto his feet, giving all three toddlers a stern look. "This is what happens when you jump on the beds, someone gets injured! You know your Papa and I have told you not to…Who's idea was it?"

Michael and Aylen's self preservation instincts kicked in at the same time. "Max!" They both exclaimed in unison, Aylen even pointing an accusatory finger.

Seven of course knew it was an activity happily done by all three and led the two eldest to "time out", as Chakotay called this punishment, before returning to her youngest still happily stationed on the bed. "Off the bed please Max." she ordered.

"No!" Max retorted mischievously, liking the sound of his relatively newly learned voice. His mother responded by lifting him off by the arms but as soon as she partly set him on the floor his little legs attempted a getaway beginning to tantrum when Seven stopped him, "Mama! No! Ump, ump!"

Chakotay finally intervened, holding him still but looking at all three of them. "No. That's enough jumping for today."

Lunch was suggested after the fallout from this had faded and as Chakotay watched the kids eating, now flawlessly behaved, he commented to Seven, "Do you think the terrible twos are rubbing off on Max or something?"

Seven smiled tiredly, "No, not particularly. I think we've just forgotten what the twins were like at that age."

Chakotay nodded, "You were right, pack extra entertainment."

The next day the family were waiting at the terminal for their transport to Bajor alongside all five suitcases and the three members of the Paris family and Admiral Janeway, all of whom were also attending Icheb's wedding. Making conversation, Janeway asked, "Are Harry and his family not coming?"

"Yes but he, Debbie and Laura are still on his ship, which will dock at Deep Space Nine the day before the ceremony." Seven replied in a muted tone but the Admiral didn't pick up on it and continued.

"And he still intends to go with the Gamma Quadrant taskforce?" she asked.

Chakotay pursed his lips, not particularly wanting to remind Seven of Icheb's forthcoming departure when they were meeting for such a happy occasion. "Yes, Icheb and Naira are on his ship in fact, the U.S.S Armstrong."

The Admiral sensed tension in the group and blushed, "I hope he doesn't feel the duty to go on _my _account, little Laura is still so young…"

Tom came gallantly to her rescue, "Don't say that Admiral, he has plenty of his own reasons, he'll never get a captaincy if he doesn't take chances…"

B'Elanna's face darkened, this was obviously a disputed topic between her and her husband. "He's not even been an XO for two years yet, there are more important things than promotion…"

The Admiral sighed, "I should have promoted him further on Voyager, an Ensign for seven years…"

No one could think of an adequate reply to that statement and Tom cleared his throat, sighing in relief when he saw that the transport had arrived. "The ship's finally here! We're on our way to seeing Icheb become a married man."

Seven was organising the children for bed in the transport's minuscule quarters, tuning out their excited chatter as she found their bedclothes and set them out. Suddenly the doorbell rang and Michael helpfully bellowed, "Mama, door!"

"I know baby but its night time, hush or you'll wake people up." She told him before turning to the door. "Enter." To her surprise B'Elanna and Miral walked in, "Hello, Chakotay is away getting food from the Mess Hall, our replicator isn't functioning but he'll be back soon…"

B'Elanna smiled, though to Seven's eyes somewhat weakly, her eyes shadowed. "Oh don't worry, Miral just wanted to say goodnight to her travelling companions…" She looked fondly down at her daughter, "…didn't you sweetie?"

Seven smiled warmly down at the child, "Of course you may Miral. Aylen, Michael, Max! Come and wish Miral goodnight."

All three quickly appeared but Aylen walked huffily over to her mother, holding out a pair of lilac pyjamas. "Mama, I don't like these. I want my pink princess ones!" She whined.

Seven tiredly pressed her hand momentarily to her forehead in exasperation; travel certainly didn't do much for patience that was for sure. "Aylen, what's wrong with those?"

Aylen pursed her lips stubbornly. "I don't want them."

"Your pink pair is at the bottom of the case, you cannot have them." Said Seven firmly but Aylen overtired from the busy day wouldn't take the refusal and began to cry.

"What about keeping your pink princess pyjamas for just before Icheb's wedding and then you can feel special?" B'Elanna suggested kindly to the tearful two and a half year old.

Aylen looked up at her, "Good idea!" She exclaimed, the option seeming to please her so much that she abandoned the argument and went to play with Miral and her brothers.

Seven breathed a barely audible sigh of relief. "Thank you B'Elanna." The half Klingon nodded, her gaze on the group of happy children, her eyes sad and far away. "Is something wrong?" Seven asked carefully.

B'Elanna lifted her head and rubbed her face, "No, not really…" She paused heavily, "It's just… been a bad week that's all…"

Seven frowned, sensing something else and wondering whether to inquire. Since arriving back in the Alpha Quadrant their relationship had relaxed considerably Seven's marriage to Chakotay and motherhood had bound them together, add in a more tolerant attitude to each other's flaws and they were now considered friends but she wasn't sure how far to push it. "Is it something I can assist you with?"

"No, no…" Her face crumpled for a moment, her throat moving in a gulp. "I…I had a miscarriage four days ago…"

Seven gasped, sorrow and sympathy taking away the power of speech for several minutes. "I…don't know what to say, sorry…does not seem adequate in this situation."

B'Elanna sniffed, "No…it doesn't does it? But it's what most people say, even Tom…" She swallowed again, "We'd been trying for a year, wanted to give Miral a brother or sister…"

"Icheb would understand if you went home…" Seven began but B'Elanna stopped her.

"Why should I take it out on him? It's my…"

"It's _not_ your fault! I know that it feels like that when pregnancies become…difficult but it's not in any way. Miral wants for nothing, she only needs the love you and Tom already give her…"

"I know." Said B'Elanna heavily before glancing at the former drone. "You…won't tell anyone will you?"

Seven shook her head. "No, you have my word."

B'Elanna sighed and headed for the door. "Come on Miral." An oblivious Miral left her friends and followed her mother. The whole encounter lasted only a few minutes but it would stay in Seven's memory for much longer.

Later that night Seven was in bed with Chakotay…and all her children. The couple found themselves in this predicament because their quarters hadn't been equipped with the fold out beds and the cot they had requested and so it was five to a bed. Seven was wide awake, Chakotay _had_ been dozing until a dreaming Michael had kicked him in the gut, looking at his wife he joked in a whisper, "Remind me _never_ to leave home again!" She didn't react. "What's up?" he asked gently.

Seven sighed and pulled Aylen into a hug, smiling gratefully as the sickly sweet smell of kids shampoo hit her nostrils. Looking at her husband and her children she replied, "Nothing my love, we're all together." She pressed her cheek into his shoulder and he gave her a kiss before they joined their children in sleep.

**A/n: This chapter gets me to over 100,000 words! Thanks for the support and please review! I have a new C/7 story called "Consequences" please read it too.**


	56. Chapter 56

**A/n: Hi, I'm finally back with this, sorry it took so long. Mtwapa has a great new C/7 one-shot called "Human Comforts". I highly recommend it!**

As the white static of the Bajoran transporter cleared from her vision the first thing Seven was aware of was dry, throat clogging dust followed in quick succession by Max's frightened whimpering in her arms. Squeezing him tighter against her she murmured in his ear, "You're safe Max, its okay…" She only had time for a quick glance at Chakotay beside her before, predictably, Michael jumped off the transporter pad and set off running. Thankfully their blushes were saved before they could even cry out, Icheb, standing as part of a group of Bajorans, grabbed the toddler with lightning quick reactions and hoisted him up.

"Nice save Icheb! Thanks." Said Chakotay gratefully as he led a slightly less excitable Aylen off the transporter pad.

Icheb smiled lightly, "You're welcome." He replied easily before inclining his head towards Seven. "You're punctual."

Seven nodded to him in acknowledgement and silently indicated for him to put Michael down, which he rapidly did as Seven transferred a still crying Max to an obliging Naira. Kneeling down to her son's height, she admonished him in a low tone, "Michael, you are not to run away from Mama and Papa, it's very dangerous. Apologise please."

"Sorry Mama." He mumbled forlornly, thumb half up to his mouth before his mother gently but firmly lowered it.

Naira meanwhile was peering at a still tearful Max with concern. "What's up honey?" she asked him softly. "Aren't you happy to see us?"

Max rubbed at his dark eyes with his small hand as he held her gaze sorrowfully. "Bad buzz buzz." He muttered by way of explanation. Naira of course still looked blank.

"He doesn't like the transporter." Chakotay explained. Naira's face softened in understanding and she gave the child a comforting cuddle.

Aylen suddenly tapped Naira's leg for attention, her blue eyes gazing up at her seriously. "Who they?" She asked pointing to the watching group of Bajorans.

The furthest forward in the group, a stout and hearty looking older man, chuckled. "Go ahead Naira answer the little girl's question, you haven't exactly introduced us."

Naira blushed at the reprimand, however joking. "Sorry Father. Chakotay, Seven, this is my father Vittari Kantor." The couple returned the man's welcoming smile as a thin, sharp featured looking woman stepped forward. "And this is my mother, Vittari Delora."

Kantor stepped forward spritely despite his girth and grasped Chakotay hand to give it a strong shake. "Welcome to Bajor and Gilara village. We've heard a lot about you, Voyager's story even managed to get heard all the way out here you know, and…" His voice dropped to a lower tempo, "…as to what we feel about the Maquis, I think that goes without saying…"

Chakotay began a gracious reply but was interrupted by Naira's mother's sharp rebuke to her husband. "Don't be starting your rants on the state of the quadrant Kantor, the temple's not even half done for the ceremony…"

Kantor however remained easy going. "In just a moment Delora, we haven't even introduced them to the family yet have we?" What followed was a long winded inspection of the new arrivals by Naira's numerous extended family, all having turned up to take a measure of the adoptive family of the exotic stranger Naira had brought had brought home from Starfleet Academy.

The small talk had moved on to the recent drought by the time Delora finally lost her temper and succeeded in rounding them all up to head to the village temple. "Right, if we don't go _now _it'll be time for evening prayers and my daughter will be getting married in a shoddily decorated temple! Let's _go_!"

Accordingly, the whole group, now joined by several former members of the Voyager crew, began to troop to the temple. Kantor sighed in exasperation as his wife began giving out tasks for everyone from a _very_ long list. "Honestly! I love my wife but sometimes she can be worse than a Vulcan drill sergeant!"

Chakotay gave a dry chuckle. "I know exactly what you mean."

The temple from the outside was a relatively small, but still beautiful, building. It was shaped so perfectly into domes and curves from smooth Bajoran volcanic stone, its red sheen almost like marble, that it had an almost dreamlike quality for Seven, which only intensified upon entering the warm dim of inside, lit only by the light of the rapidly sinking sun through the small slits of window and the huge glowing candles which dominated the space. Her eyes immediately stopped their wandering observations as Tom Paris noticed examples of the traditional Bajoran wedding robes. "That's what the two of you will be wearing tomorrow huh?" he asked politely, heroically, by Tom's standards, managing to keep the smirk off his face as he took in the loose fitting burgundy robes and slippers.

Naira gave an agitated sigh. "My mother keeps putting those out! I've told her we're getting married in _normal _clothes, not those fusty old things! She's so old fashioned…" She turned pleadingly to Icheb, "Promise me you won't give into her Icheb, you said you'd wear your formal uniform…"

Icheb's face stiffened. "I do not wish to offend your mother Naira; I am indifferent about such things…"

Naira, highly stressed, took this the wrong way. "You're _indifferent_ about our wedding day?"

Icheb thankfully realised he'd said the wrong thing and backtracked. "It's not that, but as long as you're actually there to marry me then everything else is irrelevant." Her face immediately relaxed as she realised the stupidity of the question and kissed him in reply, glad that this hadn't erupted into a marital argument before they were even married.

Seven sighed audibly and brushed her head against the bed's headboard that night as she deleted another sentence from the pad in her hands, her frown deepening as she realised the depth of the document's imperfection. Suddenly she heard Chakotay's breathing become shallower just before he drowsily turned his head to face her, his eyes looking up at her blearily. "Seven, it's…" he checked the clock on the nightstand, "…four in the morning, what can you possibly be researching this early? Especially when you're supposed to be asleep."

Seven lowered the pad down into her lap and glanced at him somewhat sheepishly. "I'm not…researching anything, I'm writing my speech."

"What speech?" Chakotay asked, confused.

She sighed again, more heavily this time. "The speech Icheb requested I make at his wedding reception."

Chakotay smiled widely at this information. "Icheb asked you to speak at his wedding? You never said anything…"

Seven chewed her bottom lip. "I was hoping he'd retract the request."

"Why? It'll be sweet to hear you talk about him…"

"Nothing I write seems adequate!"

Chakotay sat up and put his arms lightly around her waist, removing the pad from her hands and setting it aside. "I don't think that'll matter, when the time comes the right words will come don't worry." He gave her a peck on the cheek. "Now, I've always found the best cure for nerves is sleep, okay?"

Seven looked at him lovingly for several seconds before giving him a much deeper kiss on the lips. "I know a much more efficient form of relaxation." She whispered huskily.

Chakotay got the message but raised his eyebrows. "Do you?"

"Yes, and I also know that as soon as the wedding's over we'll be travelling back for the next ten days on a tiny transport and its most likely we'll be sharing our bed with three children, _again_."

He laughed huskily and pulled her against him. "Well, we should always do the most _efficient _thing shouldn't we?"

The day of the wedding dawned clear and bright and while Chakotay fought to get Aylen and Michael into their outfits, flower girl and ring bearer respectively, Seven was alone with Icheb in the small room at the back of the altar. She felt herself smile with pride as he appeared wearing his full formal Starfleet uniform. He noticed but couldn't get his hands to stop shaking as he struggled to pin his single gold pip to the collar. "Here." Seven murmured, handing him her small clutch bag as she took the pip from him and pinned it helpfully to his collar.

"Thank you." He said quietly as he rubbed his sweating palms hastily on his trousers.

"I see you decided to go against Delora's advice." Seven commented.

"Oh yes, both Tom and Harry advised me not to side with the future mother in law against the future wife, and I kept imagining how Mezotti and the twins would laugh at me in those robes."

"Yes." Seven replied with a slightly sad smile as she thought of "her" other Borg children, unreachably far away on this important day. "They would be proud of you, for everything, as I am."

"I hope so." He said with a soft sigh just as the temple's gong began to ring out to call everyone to their seats.

"I must go now, I will see you soon." Seven told him, turning to leave but was surprised when he hugged her, impulsively and tightly.

"Thank you Seven." He whispered. Seven could only give a short, yet heartfelt, nod, words were beyond her. With a quick shared smile she disappeared into the heart of temple and Icheb followed to stand next to the priest at the altar, immediately assaulted by the heady smell of katterpod oil incense and the lingering scent wafting from the darilwood panelling as much as he was by the sight of the packed temple, the Voyager crew was everywhere, almost outnumbering the Bajorans. The chatter which had filled the hall suddenly drained out as the bridal gong as it was known rang out and Naira's slim silhouette appeared at the top of the aisle, her attire almost completely human in style excepting the large single earring. If Icheb had been in his normal state of mind he would have noticed the wave of shocked chatter this caused on the Bajoran side of the aisle but as it was he could barely take in her beauty, the floor length strapless dress in champagne silk with the emerald ribbon at the waist which highlighted her green eyes… Suddenly she was at his side and the priest began to intone the wedding chants in ancient Bajoran, thankfully his photographic memory worked enough on automatic pilot enough to answer adequately when he was asked to promise himself to the service of the Prophets but his mind didn't really return to him until he was at last allowed to face Naira in the final part of the ceremony.

"You have promised yourselves to the Prophets, both individually and together, now you must promise to each other." The priest told them in a formal, solemn tone.

Their eyes met and in perfect unison they said, "We promise."

**A/n: The next chapter will be the reception, it didn't feel right to add it on to this. Please review! I hope you weren't disappointed after such a long wait. **


	57. Chapter 57

"Right everyone, we're on a schedule here! The reception is being held in the hotel down the street so can you all start making your way there please." The mother of the bride's voice echoed around the temple almost as soon as the priest had completed the ceremony.

"Mother, please!" exclaimed Naira in embarrassment, ripping her eyes away from Icheb to frown at her mother but the crowd of chattering guests were already following the instructions and crowding around the ornate wooden doors of the exit. Seven, caught in the crush as she attempted to reach an overwhelmed Michael, plonked down in the centre of the aisle, and Aylen, who was enthusiastically throwing the spare petals from her flower girl's basket into the air, giggling as they settled on the clothes and heads of the oblivious adult guests.

Finally Seven reached them, after almost tripping over a fallen candle stand, pulled Michael up onto his feet and firmly took the basket off Aylen, saying when the little girl's face fell, "That's enough now Aylen, you want to have some flowers left don't you?"

Aylen pondered this logic for a moment before nodding vigorously. "Okay Mama, I hungwy now."

Chakotay, finally having managed to push his way through to his family with Max in his arms, smiled at his daughter. "Everyone is sweetheart, that's the problem, but we'll get there soon I promise."

Icheb, having escaped the incessant questions flung at him from a group of Naira's distant cousins, shot Chakotay an apologetic look. "I'm sorry; we seem to have lost all organisational skills…"

"Don't worry about it, it'll clear soon. You did well with the service, ancient Bajoran chants and all." Chakotay complimented him.

Icheb smiled sheepishly, "I practised a great deal, and Naira seemed pleased."

Seven laughed with soft knowing, "I doubt she was listening anymore than you were."

Icheb blushed as his new wife approached but she laughed also, "It _is _a bit of a blur, all that planning and I doubt I'll remember much more than the kiss at the end by morning."

"That _was_ the best part…" Icheb began to tease in a droll tone but Naira smilingly cut him off.

"That's the place empty, within five minutes, a new record I think! We'd better go; we don't want my family taking liberties with the seating plan and Commander Kim…" She corrected herself, remembering that almost all of Icheb's former crewmates had requested she address them as friends rather than as superior Starfleet officers, while off duty at least. "…Harry said that when food not cooked by Neelix is involved, your crew could incite a riot."

* * *

Later that night, crowded around wide, round tables overflowing with food the atmosphere in the reception hall was jolly, the live band just about to set up, when Icheb stood up from his central position, licking his lips nervously and keeping Naira's supportive hand in his, he called for attention, "I believe it is customary on Earth for speeches to be made…" His voice was too quiet to be heard beyond the head table, where the senior officers of Voyager, with their partners and children, and the immediate members of Naira's family, all sat.

When no one lifted their eyes from their plates the Admiral stepped in, using her most commanding voice, which she hadn't forgotten, "Excuse me everyone, the groom would like to make a speech!"

Excited chatter bubbled through the room, along with the sound of scraping chairs as people turned to observe the young former Borg. Feeling a cold sweat break out as the pressure of all the expectant eyes hit him, Icheb had to clear his throat repeatedly and take a large swig of water before he could begin. "My…my start in life wasn't particularly auspicious, I was genetically engineered to kill Borg and that's what I did, I had no access to emotions or ambitions…then Voyager saved me. I never thought when I first stepped aboard and Seven told me my real name that within five years I would be an complete individual, let alone a Starfleet officer and…a married man." He paused, smiling down at Naira before continuing, "The U.S.S Voyager itself gave me a home, its crew gave me a family but you…" He stopped, realising he was only addressing Naira, "…Naira gave me love, and gave it truly and easily, as is your nature. I never dreamed then, or now, that I'd have that but I find tonight that I don't have to dream anymore, you're here and I have to thank you for that." He stopped, this time for good, but before he could sit down Naira was at his side, kissing him deeply before guiding him back down to sit with her.

The "aww…" that reverberated around the room was practically audible and as Chakotay turned to share an affectionate glance with his wife, he found she was already looking at him with tears glinting in her eyes. He gave her hand an understanding squeeze before noticing a pad resting loosely in her lap. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Your turn now honey." She nodded stiltedly and tried to rise but he held her back for a moment. "Try and relax, you're not in a briefing remember."

She flung him a watery smile. "I almost wish I was." She replied before standing to her full height and everyone's eyes moved to her, even more interested in what she would say, if that were possible. Seven stood in silence for a moment, written speech grasped tightly in her hands as her eyes found the happy encouraging eyes of the newlyweds and her husband and she suddenly knew what she needed to say, letting the pad drop onto the table. Taking a deep breath she began, "When Icheb and Naira first asked me to do this speech, I said no…"

"Mama, I help you talk!" Michael exclaimed loudly, making the room collapse into unintended laughter for several minutes.

Seven smiled, along with everyone else, at the toddler. "I'm fine now baby, I can talk by myself, its okay." She waited for him to nod before continuing, "As I was saying, when the request was first made I said no, but I'm now glad they convinced me. When Icheb, Mezzoti, Azan and Rebi first came aboard I was afraid for them, afraid they wouldn't adapt but they all exceeded my expectations, grew into their individuality… although that was sometimes an irritant for me because they did not always obey me, but soon I preferred that way. If Icheb had not followed his intuition I would be dead so when he told me of Naira I trusted his emotional judgement above that of all others and he was completely correct in his choice. I am proud of you for so many things Icheb, this is another one and I know there will be many, many, more." She stopped, unable to go on.

Chakotay rescued her, raising his glass. "To Icheb and Naira!"

"Icheb and Naira!" The whole room joyfully echoed.

**A/n: I hope this is okay; I know it's short but the speeches were hard to write and I'm pretty tired tonight. Please review!**


	58. Chapter 58

**A/n: Wow, over 200 reviews! Thanks everyone! Here's a new chapter. (Finally)**

"Ma…Mama…" Seven's eyes slowly creaked open at the sound of the persistent small voice, but the sight of Chakotay sleeping undisturbed beside her and the warmth of the duvet which cocooned them together seduced her eyes into closing again… "Mama!" The voice was much louder now, a frustrated exclamation, immediately followed by a soft thump.

Her contented sleep now entirely broken, Seven pushed herself off her pillow and twisted round to face the noise, only to see Max standing up in his cot, about to throw another of his soft toys onto the floor until he spotted that he'd been successful in getting her attention and a triumphant smile played on his young features. "Me wake Mama." He told her, stating the obvious.

Seven pushed the duvet away from her, making Chakotay groan softly and pull a spare pillow over his head without fully waking, and swung her legs over the side of the bed, hastily putting on her dressing gown as she replied, "I can see that honey, now Mama's awake too. What is it?"

"Hungwy." Max responded in a whine as he stuffed his small fingers through the bars of the crib in an attempt to reach the latch.

"You're hungry?" Seven asked, "It's only…" She paused as the information from her internal clock reached her brain, "0943 hours..." She realised guiltily, "I'm sorry Max baby, breakfast is late this morning."

"Yesh!" shouted Max across the small hotel room. "Bwekfas now!"

Seven winced at his volume. "Speak softly Max, don't wake up your brother and sister." She rebuked him as she stepped over the obstacle course of children's toys that scattered the floor and narrowly missed hitting her foot off the pull out bed the hotel had provided for Aylen and Michael, thankfully both still sound asleep after the excitement of wedding duties the day before.

"Papa sweep too." Max pointed out in a whisper as she reached him and lifted him up.

"Yes, Papa's still asleep too." Seven agreed. Although I wouldn't mind if he woke up and offered some help, she thought for a moment but then berated herself, it wasn't often that they indulged in partying; she should probably let him be. Smiling at her youngest, she moved on to the next urgent task, "Come on, we need to get you cleaned up for breakfast." She said as she headed for the changing table.

"Kay." Muttered Max reluctantly, thumb in mouth as his mother began to undress him on the changing table. Suddenly, just as Seven was setting out a clean diaper, there was a loud knock at the door. "Who dat?" questioned Max curiously, unhelpfully kicking his legs up in the air.

Seven frowned as the knock became more insistent, obviously it wasn't just the hotel maid. "I don't know. Let me finish and we'll go and see." Obligingly Max stopped wriggling long enough for Seven to fasten the diaper, hoist him on to her shoulder and head towards the door. Hurriedly she opened it a crack, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Admiral Janeway standing there. "Admiral! I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you…"

Janeway waved her apology away distractedly, "It's alright Seven. When are you and Chakotay planning to leave?" she asked with an urgency which confused Seven.

"Tonight, after we've seen Icheb and Naira off on their honeymoon, why?"

Janeway sighed heavily, "Their plans have changed, everyone's have." When Seven looked at her in confused bemusement, she began to explain, fear painfully evident in her eyes. "The Notsinians attacked our outposts on the other side of the wormhole during the night…"

"All of them?" Seven asked in disbelief.

"Every single one, we're not sure what the death toll is yet but…" She stopped, pressing her lips together until they turned white. "War was declared at 0700 hours. All Federation civilians have been ordered to evacuate, no exceptions, and the taskforce is being deployed in its entirety tonight." She gave Seven a compassionate look, "Icheb and Naira say they're going."

Seven felt like she'd been kicked hard in the gut and for a moment could only bring herself to choke out, "No…no…" Max began to whimper, sensing the abrupt change in atmosphere, and Seven had to pull herself together, her next words to the Admiral decidedly robotic, "We'll be ready as soon as possible." The Admiral barely had time to nod her head in reply before Seven slammed the door in her face.

Chakotay jerked awake at the sound, sitting up to see Seven sagged against the door, clutching Max to her as she visibly fought to keep her face from crumpling. Rushing from his bed, he grabbed her shoulders, "What's happened sweetheart?" Seven gulped and mutely shook her head at him, not yet able to speak.

* * *

"Hush, little girl, hush." Chakotay soothed as he rocked a distraught Aylen back and forth in his arms, kicking one of their suitcases over a little for one of the people rushing past them on Deep Space Nine's packed Promenade, crowded with people jostling to get tickets on the hundreds of transports fleeing the suddenly dangerous Bajoran sector. "Any luck?" he asked Seven anxiously as her reappeared through the throng, giving Michael a tight hug as he ran to her.

"No, we'll have to wait until tonight, if it's not cancelled." Seven answered, referring to her fruitless attempts to get their pre-booked tickets transferred to an earlier transport.

"I want to go home… Scary here!" Aylen cried unhappily.

Seven gently took her from Chakotay and let her bury her head into her shoulder. "We will go home angel, we just have to wait a little while…but Mama and Papa are here to keep you and your brothers safe." She waited for a nod from the little girl before addressing her husband again, "Have you seen any of the Voyager crew?"

"Harry, a few minutes ago." He saw that he going to be unsuccessful in hiding the extent of the situation from his hurting wife when he met her questioning expression and sighed heavily, "He was getting Debbie and Laura safely to the docking bay before he joined the Armstrong." He felt his fingers clench as he continued in a lower tone so not to distress the children, "He said that Starfleet probes have confirmed 352 dead and 502 missing on the other side of the wormhole."

Seven paled at that but after a few seconds stated with her inbred Borg stoicism, "There will be more."

Chakotay couldn't deny that and conversation died between them until he saw Icheb's uniquely recognisable frame through the crowds. "Icheb!" he shouted, making the younger man turn to them in a flash of ensign's uniform.

"Seven, Chakotay!" He exclaimed in agitation, "What are you still doing here? If they attack this will be…" He halted as Aylen's face crumpled, guilt reflecting in his eyes. "Let me try and get places for you…" He began, about to turn away but Seven held his arm in an iron grip.

"When are you leaving?" she asked quietly.

"1800 hours." He replied. "I know the risks Seven, I'll be careful…"

"We've had that conversation. You know how I feel about this situation, whether it's early in arising or not." She told him, tensing in surprise when he hugged her quickly.

"I know." He said, before taking Chakotay's outstretched hand firmly. "Be safe Commander." He said, slipping momentarily into their old formality.

"You too." Said Chakotay warmly. "I think you should come to Earth for your belated honeymoon when you come back."

Icheb smiled weakly. "We'd like that very much." He agreed as he ushered the family to come with him. "Come, I can get you on a transport."

Not another word was said by any of them until their muttered but heartfelt goodbyes on the overloaded transport and Icheb disappeared back into the bowels of the space station as the engines flared into life.

**A/n: Please review! I might have time to update another story today too because the family car is broken so I'm stranded at home, I'll try my best! Thanks to lisac1965 for putting up a brilliant chapter of "The Little Girl" last night.**


	59. Chapter 59

**A/n: Dream sequences are in italics. This chapter is for xXTheGothicBumbleBeeXx because I know she likes this fic and I want her to update her new C/7 fic for me to read!**

"One, two, three, blow!" Chakotay said enthusiastically to Max as the newly one year old gazed curiously at the single lit candle on his birthday cake but made no attempt to blow it out, his dark eyes following the movement of the flame with fascination. Chakotay cleared his throat as the group of children around the table began to shift impatiently in their chairs, Michael even starting to whine. "Come on son…" He continued to coax, "Look, I'll show you." Leaning over the table but distant from the cake, he blew hard to demonstrate, leading to all the children's brows furrowing in disapproval.

"Why?" Max asked suddenly, staring at his father as if he'd gone crazy, making all the adults watching laugh, even Seven had to stifle a giggle.

Aylen's eyes shifted to her younger brother and then back to the cake again, her thin arms crossing her chest as she made a snort of frustration and leaned across the table herself, "_I_ show you Max." She told with authority and before anyone could stop her the candle was out in a single breath.

David Wildman, who'd spent the whole party looking at the cake with longing eyes, clapped his hands loudly in approval. "Yay Aylen! Now we eat cake!"

Miral Paris tugged lightly on her father's sleeve, "Daddy?"

Tom smiled indulgently down at her. "Yes angel?"

"Does this mean Aylen gets Max's wish? Cos that's not fair…"

"Don't worry honey; I don't think birthday wishes transfer!" He laughed as he watched Aylen get a gentle ticking off from her parents.

* * *

"Thanks." Tom said to Seven as she handed him a piece of cake and gladly dug in with his fork as the adults gathered in the corner, all carefully avoiding a rather riotous game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. "You know…" He paused to swallow his mouthful sponge as everyone looked at him enquiringly. "Dad says the taskforce hasn't run into anything yet, the whole sector's normal so far, maybe this is all a false alarm and Harry, Icheb and Naira will all be home by the end of the month…"

Chakotay glanced with concern at both Debbie Kim, thankfully distracted by her daughter on a sugar high, and Seven before cautiously replying, "Some Federation delegates are already lobbying for a pull out and some geniuses at the holo-newspapers are calling it "The Phoney War"…"

Seven frowned angrily, "How can they claim there isn't a war when over 800 Federation citizens are dead or presumed so?"

B'Elanna snorted contemptuously. "Journalists said the same thing about the beginning of World War II, they never learn…"

"Be that as it may but Dad said if something doesn't happen to prove the Notsinians existence soon, Starfleet's going to pull the funding…" Tom said, pleased at the prospect of getting everyone home.

In contrast, Seven's face darkened significantly. "Believe me; we never want to give them the chance to prove their existence." This silenced everyone around her and Chakotay tried to reach comfortingly for her arm but she shook him off and distractedly headed into the melee of overexcited children to pluck the plastic donkey tail off Michael who was being mercilessly chased in circles by a cackling Miral and Aylen.

* * *

"_The defences have been breached; I've been called up to fight Iza." No Father! The little girl thought from her place at the threshold of her small bedroom, secretly watching and listening in on her parents' conversation as they stood confrontationally at the front door._

"_No Creb…" Her mother pleaded, "Your place is here, protecting your family! You know what the People of Ashes do to our soldiers! Did you think I'm just going to let you go?"_

_Her father's face stiffened painfully and she gasped. Seeing that her father had heard her, she backed into the bedroom but was too late, he grabbed her mother's arm angrily, "Don't call them that here Iza, you'll scare the children, the Notsinians…" He put emphasis on the word making the girl realise that was their enemies' proper name, "…aren't invincible, no one is, we just haven't found their weakness yet but we will…"_

_Tears now streamed down her mother's face. "Please don't do this Creb…" She was begging now. Silently he pulled her into a hug and gave her a soft kiss before disappearing out of the door and her mother collapsed against it, sobbing._

_Some time later the familiar ear splitting whistle of the air raid alarm, spliced through the humid air and her mother wiped her tears and piled them all into the shelter, where they all crouched together but within a few minutes the girl heard her mother curse and grab her shoulders, the nails digging in as she peered into her daughter's frightened eyes."Listen Brenna, I need to go check if old Mrs Kopek is safe, I promised your father… Stay in here, look after your brothers and I'll be right back okay?"_

"_No Mother…" She began to plead tearfully, clinging to her but she was pushed away._

"_No Brenna, I need you to be a big girl today." With that her mother disappeared outside the shelter._

_Hours passed and her mother did not return. As anxiety turned to heart squeezing fear a new sound fills the air, an engine, and then a far off explosion. Forgetting her mother's orders the girl left the shelter, "Mother! Moth…" The cry stopped in her throat as the very air surrounding her imploded, a wave of fire, ripping over the lush land and turning it into dead desert, slammed into her house and made her black out…_

_Time passed, she didn't know how long, she didn't care, all she knew was that she was hungry and alone, cowering under the table. A green light filled the room, a strange man, covered in metal, appeared before her. "We are Borg. You will be assimilated." She could have run, should have, but all her energy was gone and she didn't want to be alone again so she allowed the strange tubes to sink into her neck without a murmur…_

Seven jerked awake with a choked scream, her head thudding against the window her dozing head had rested on as she gasped desperately for air, the drone's memory releasing its grip on her mind with agonising slowness. Gradually she recognised her bedroom, the chair she had fallen asleep on, the starry view outside the window, but it brought her little comfort. Had the Notsinians attacks really been so horrific that the survivors had found sanctuary in assimilation? Gulping back open sobs but unable to stop her eyes from filming over with tears, she stared up at the sky, her old home, her eternal home, for composure. Collective memories haunted her more than she would even admit, even to Chakotay, they were frequently as vivid, if not more so, than her own. The stars winked at her teasingly, everything would be so simple, so uncomplicated, if she could just float freely among them as she sometimes daydreamed… "Seven? Seven, what's wrong?" Chakotay asked, pain gripping his heart as he walked into the room to see tears sliding down her face and he instantly came to her. "What is it sweetheart?"

Seven shook her head dismissively. "A nightmare." His dark, loving eyes peered at her disbelievingly and she smiled, thinking that her memories of other people's emotions reinforced her confidence in her love for him. "It's nothing more my love." She murmured, looping her arms tight around his neck.

"What can I do?" He whispered softly.

Seven sighed and kissed him deeply but gently before resting her head on his broad shoulder. "Hold me for a little while?" She felt him nod slowly before he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, carrying her to their bed and laying down close beside her.

* * *

The insistent ring of the phone pulled Chakotay from his light sleep but he rolled over, reluctant to answer it as Seven lay soundly asleep beside him, the most peaceful she had looked in weeks. The ringing continued and with a sigh he pulled himself out of bed and flung on some clothes, answering it with a quick press of a button but when the caller's face appeared on the screen he felt his heart plunge into his stomach.

**A/n: A cliffy, don't hate me and please review! :D I'll try not to leave it for long but can you tell me which stories you'd like me to prioritise this week? It's going to be a very busy week for me so tell me what you'd really like me to update and I'll do that first when I have time to write, okay?**


	60. Chapter 60

Chakotay felt his heart plunge into his stomach as his sleep fuzzed eyes focused on the ghastly white face of Icheb on the other side of the comm. line. "Icheb!" he exclaimed stridently before he remembered that Seven, and all three of their children, were asleep just metres away and lowered his volume to a tense whisper, "Icheb, what the _hell's _happened? You look…"

A tiny smile, exhausted and weak, flickered across Icheb's pale face for a moment; it was only now that Chakotay noticed the half healed gash on his forehead and the disturbing rust coloured stain which had spread across the once pristine collar of his ensign's uniform. "Good Evening Chakotay, I am sorry to disturb you so late…"

In response to that, Chakotay gave him an incredulous shake of his head, "Thatdoesn't matter right now Icheb, for God's sake! What happened? Are you and Naira both alright?" he asked anxiously, it _had_ to be serious for Icheb to even consider worrying Seven.

Icheb released a deep shuddering sigh before answering, "We are both safe in Deep Space Nine's Infirmary, Naira is…fine." The slight uncertainty in the last word made Chakotay break out in a cold sweat.

"You're in the Infirmary though so something's happened! I'd like you to tell me what Icheb." Chakotay told him in no uncertain terms, slipping back into his "Commander" tone that he knew would work on his young former crewmate.

"There was a violent attack on the convoy, many ships have been lost and I was injured, thankfully, due in part to Commander Kim's heroics, an escape route was maintained to get the injured back to Deep Space Nine."

Chakotay nodded slowly as he processed this information, but wasn't ready to let himself breathe a sigh of relief just yet. "And Harry's okay? How were you injured?"

"Commander Kim is working to fortify Deep Space Nine as we speak." Icheb said calmly, before visibly bracing himself for Chakotay's next reaction, "My enhanced arm was badly damaged; Doctor Bashir said that if my other arm had received such a strong plasma charge it would have required amputation…" He paused, wincing, "Don't tell Seven that though, I don't want her to experience anxiety…"

Chakotay frowned at him, "I think we've already crossed that bridge Ensign, now what does the doctor say about your _actual _injury?"

"The nerve damage is beginning to repair itself with regeneration but Bashir says I will need the Doctor to make more specialist repairs. That's why I'm calling, to ask if Naira and I can stay with you until I have recovered enough to return to duty."

Chakotay almost laughed in relief, "_Of course_ you can! You know that Seven would be angry if you did anything else!" He saw relief wash over the younger man's face and smiled at him. "It's great that Starfleet allowed Naira to come back with you…" He saw an unreadable emotion cross Icheb's face and frowned, "What?"

Icheb looked at him shamefacedly, "They didn't exactly allow her, she was dismissed…" He read Chakotay's shocked expression and explained hurriedly, "Oh, she didn't do anything wrong but…" he paused apprehensively, "She's pregnant."

Chakotay felt his mouth drop open and all he could say at first was, "Oh." He then saw Icheb's downright scared expression and felt a warm smile cross his features, he couldn't exactly admonish them, since Seven had gotten pregnant almost as soon as the wedding was over… "Well…" He began, "I wasn't expecting that but it's great news, really!"

"You don't think Seven will be angry do you?" Icheb asked with an audible gulp.

Chakotay laughed, "No, no! Are we thinking of the same woman? She'll be delighted!"

"That's good news." Icheb said with relief, before his head dipped lower and his smile disappeared, "It was after the wedding, before war was declared, she didn't realise until we were on the convoy, but she didn't tell _me_ until I was lying in Sickbay… She thought I'd have sent her home if I knew..." He confided with a sigh. "She was right; I would've sent her home in a millisecond, but still…"

Chakotay smiled knowingly. "If you're angry she didn't tell you right off the bat, try and let it go, it took Seven days to tell me the first time and I was angry at first too but you have to learn to give a little leeway, especially with pregnant women."

Icheb smiled gratefully. "I will try my best. Naira and I will arrive on Earth in eleven days."

"That's fine. Do you want me to tell Seven all this?"

Icheb now looked sheepish. "I think it would be easier on all of us if you told her."

"Okay, I will. We'll see you soon." After quick goodbyes were exchanged, Chakotay finally hung up the phone and slowly walked back to his room, not sure whether to feel nervous or excited about telling Seven of this new and unexpected development.

* * *

Seven's eyes opened blearily as she was gently shaken awake. "Seven? Seven?"

Seeing Chakotay's eyes peering down at her anxiously, his hand firm around her shoulder, Seven felt a tight knot of nauseating fear form in her gut and she scrambled to sit up, surprised by the sudden wave of dizziness that clobbered her for a moment as she forced herself upright. "What's wrong?" she asked fearfully, the thought now hitting her that her Borg flashback may have been some sort of premonition…

"That was Icheb on the phone, there was an attack on the convoy…" He paused and squeezed her arm reassuringly as he heard her inhale sharply, "But they're safe, coming back here actually to get one of Icheb's implants treated by the Doctor…"

Seven's body sagged back down onto the bed, "Really? Oh…I thought…" She halted, unwilling to even vocalise what she'd thought during those horrible seconds. "They're letting Naira return too? Is she injured also?"

Chakotay chuckled, "Actually…she's pregnant. Starfleet have relieved her of duty."

Seven remained frozen in shocked silence for even longer than Chakotay had when he first heard but when she did respond it was more emphatic. "Oh that's wonderful! They will be out of danger!"

Chakotay smiled at her. "Yes it is, maybe the war will be over by the time they'll be able to leave their little one."

The reality that Icheb was actually going to be a father, as well as off the frontline, which had been her first concern, began to slowly set in with Seven. "He's so young…" She murmured in disbelief before brightening slightly. "Well if _I_ can parent adequately, Icheb will do it well!"

Chakotay pulled her into his arms with a soft laugh and kissed her face. "You're a hell of a lot better than _adequate_ Seven!"

* * *

The eleven days until the visitors' arrival passed excruciatingly slowly for Seven, even though her logical mind told her time passed at the same time it always had, the wait still seemed to take a toll on her health, her appetite abandoned her and she felt generally drained. Chakotay too noticed the change so it was with equal relief that they welcomed Icheb and Naira into their home when the time finally arrived.

"Thank you for this Seven." Icheb said gratefully as he stepped in the door, his cybernetic arm limp and obviously near useless but Seven hurriedly hid her shock, gulping back the nausea which overwhelmed her at the sight of the destroyed flesh under the mangled metal. Icheb followed her gaze and smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, the Doctor assures me he can "make it as good as new", his words not mine."

"I'm sure he will." Seven said quietly as she watched Chakotay greet a nervous looking Naira with a hug.

"Congratulations!" Chakotay told her warmly.

"Thank you, for everything I mean." Naira replied softly, eyeing Seven apprehensively until the former Borg caught her eye and gave her one of her rare Borg smiles.

"How are you feeling? Any morning sickness?" Chakotay asked in concern.

"Actually…atishoo!" Naira sneezed violently. "Bajorans don't get nauseous when they're pregnant, they…" Another sneeze interrupted her, "They sneeze."

"I can see that!" Chakotay laughed but a realisation had hit Seven like a kick in the gut, she hadn't been feeling well for over two weeks, what if… No she couldn't be… Still the belief persisted until it was almost a certainty and as soon as she could get away she bolted to her bedroom's en-suite, slammed the door behind her and locked it before getting the family medical tricorder out of the cabinet with shaking hands and slowly scanning herself. It was several minutes before she could build up the courage to read the results, two weeks and five days pregnant.

**A/n: I thought I'd put a few surprises in my 60****th**** chapter! Thanks for the support so far everyone! PLEASE REVIEW! :D **


	61. Chapter 61

Two weeks and five days pregnant. Seven stared uncomprehendingly at the tricorder for several seconds before letting it fall to her side as she sank onto the toilet seat, her shaking legs refusing to hold her up. How could she have allowed another unplanned pregnancy? She was supposed to be organised and efficient… She glared down at the spotless grey floor tiles in frustration, okay so she'd maybe been careless when Max was conceived but they'd been careful since then hadn't they? Obviously not careful enough, a sarcastic inner voice answered her own question but her thought pattern changed as the metal on her left hand caught the light and with a frown she scanned herself again, more slowly this time. The results confirmed her suspicion, her nanoprobes had adapted to counteract the birth control she was on, and the Doctor had assured her the chances of that happening were minute… The Doctor also told me I could never get pregnant and here I am having my third pregnancy in less than four years, the sarcastic voice reminded her again but despite that she felt a small smile form on her lips as her arm curled unconsciously around her waist. "Seven!" Chakotay's shout from downstairs jerked her out of her slightly calmer state of mind and back into panic mode, how would he react? His reaction when he'd found out about Max had left much to be desired…no, he'd been frightened, and he adored Max now, there wasn't any reason why this child would be any different.

She stood up on wobbly legs and walked from the bathroom back into her bedroom, ready to go and inform him but as she heard their visitors' voices travelling from downstairs she froze again as another realisation hit her, this child would be _younger_ than Icheb's, there was something embarrassing, even indecent, about that fact and she felt her confidence drain away, cursing her cowardice as she backed back into the room, half collapsing onto her bed. Her peace was soon interrupted though by Chakotay's entrance into the room, frowning at her slightly, "What are you doing in here? I've been calling you for the last five minutes." He said, sounding slightly irritated until he noticed how pale she looked as she sat up to meet his gaze. Quietly he shut the door and approached her, his gaze intense and questioning. "You're not upset by Icheb's news are you?" he asked, trying not to sound incredulous as the very idea struck him as unlikely.

Seven rubbed her aching temple and failed to suppress a sigh. "No, of course not, it's nothing to do with them…" She trailed off as she finally forced herself meet his eyes and answer the question she knew was on his lips. Feeling a nervous laugh bubble in her throat she said, more bluntly than she had intended, "_I'm _pregnant again."

Chakotay's stunned and disbelieving laugh quickly became a gasp as he realised she wasn't joking. "Are…are you sure? Have you even seen the Doctor?" Seven's face looked resigned, and even a little scared as she handed him the tricorder in silence and allowed him to scan her. "Two weeks and five days…" he muttered the result which had already ingrained itself in Seven's memory. "How'd this happen? I mean I thought the Doctor gave you something…"

Seven chuckled weakly, "It seems my nanoprobes adapted to counteract the drug."

"Oh." Chakotay said in shell-shocked reply, before beginning to pace around the room skittishly. "It's the end of June now, so you're due in…March right?" He saw Seven nod heavily and sat down beside on the bed, raking his hands through his hair. "God, that means we're going to have four kids under four before we've even been married four years!" He exclaimed, a shaky but happy laugh leaving him despite the shock.

"I suppose…" mumbled Seven as the reality of their situation struck her with full force. "This child's going to be younger than Icheb and Naira's, Bajoran pregnancies only last six months and she's further along…"

"So?" Chakotay asked, not following where she was going.

"It will be awkward, embarrassing…"

Chakotay smiled as he finally saw her concern, unnecessary though he knew it was, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Remember, you're only going to be a grandmother by adoption, you're still only thirty two which is far from old, believe me…" A new thought made him wince and Seven frowned at him worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

Chakotay sighed and put his head in his hands for a moment before replying, "Nothing, I just realised I'm going to be in my seventies by the time this one turns eighteen."

Seven curled against his shoulder. "You'd be the best father imaginable no matter how old you were." She assured him firmly, earning a kiss from him before he pulled back, eyeing the room sceptically.

"We're going to have to move house, we're never going to have enough space here…" He began but Seven cut him off.

"I do not wish to move, we'll have enough to adapt to." She said sharply.

Chakotay adopted a defensive stance. "Okay, okay. We'll see about extending then, we certainly won't need the stress, not with sleep knocked off the agenda for the foreseeable future…"

Seven lay back on the bed, already anticipating months of sleepless nights. "Don't remind me, we just got Max to sleep through the night two months ago…" She stared up the ceiling until Chakotay lay down beside her, when she apprehensively turned her head to face him. "You're not unhappy about this development are you?"

"I'm shocked Seven, and worried, but happiness will come, it always has." He said softly, trying to believe his own words as his old fears resurfaced as he studied her.

Seven mumbled agreement and both sank into their own thoughts before she spoke again, "Chakotay, remember the morning after our engagement, when I told you I couldn't have children?"

Chakotay smiled sadly at the memory, remembering the pain in her eyes. "Of course I do, even though you've been proven wrong a few times, with hindsight."

Seven held his hand tightly, surprised to feel a lone tear rolling down her cheek as she said her next words, "I'll always be grateful that you married me despite knowing that."

Chakotay pulled her into a gentle hug, "And I'll always be grateful that you said yes, I think we would have been happy even if your prediction had come true."

Seven smiled lovingly at him and looped her arms around his neck. "What do you think we'd be doing if that were the case?"

"Well, we'd have a lot more alone time and adventure probably, travel…" He teased. "…and definitely more sleep!"

"Oh I don't know, it was a joint reluctance to sleep which got us in this situation in the first place!" Seven joked with a rare mischievous glint in her eye.

**A/n: A short little chapter, I hope they weren't out of character. Please review! :D**


	62. Chapter 62

**A/n: Thanks to xXTheGothicBumbleBeeXx for updating "The Borg with Butterfly Wings" last night. Enjoy the chapter!**

"Now what colour of ribbon would you like Aylen honey?" Naira asked as she finished the last section of the Bajoran hair plait she was making with the two and a half year old's hair as they waited for Seven and Chakotay to reappear from upstairs.

"What colours?" The toddler asked, bouncing up and down on her chair excitedly.

"Well…" Naira laid the three silk ribbons she replicated out on the kitchen table. "There's blue and red and yellow, which do you want?"

Aylen peered intensely at the three choices, dismissing the blue one almost immediately with a push of her hand but pondering deeply over the red and yellow. Finally, squeezing her eyes tight shut, she snatched up one, dangling it in front of Naira's eyes. "I want this please!"

"Okay!" Naira agreed, taking the canary yellow ribbon and beginning to weave it through the little girl's glossy black locks. Her concentration was broken slightly by the sound of Seven and Chakotay talking quietly as they came downstairs.

"Mama and Papa!" exclaimed Aylen happily before pulling impatiently at Naira's arms. "Finish Naira! Mama and Papa need see!"

"Give me a minute, hold still." Naira scolded gently, but smiled at the child's exuberance as she tied the ribbon in a bow. "All done, you can call your parents now."

Aylen took her words to heart, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Papa! Mama!"

Chakotay anxiously popped his head into the room, followed almost immediately by Seven, who asked, "What's the matter baby?"

Aylen tossed her, thankfully secure, plait back and forth from shoulder to shoulder. "I look pretty?" she asked sweetly.

Her parents smiled at her. "Yes baby, you look very pretty." Seven confirmed as she walked further into the room and knelt down beside her daughter. "Did Naira do this for you?" Aylen nodded and Seven threw Naira a grateful glance before looking again to Aylen. "Say thank you to her then." She instructed.

Aylen twisted around in her chair to beam at the Bajoran. "Thank you."

"You're welcome sweetie." Naira replied pleasantly.

Chakotay ran a hand over his daughter's head and smiled at her, "Where are your brothers beautiful?"

"Not matter." Aylen responded nonchalantly, making the three adults chuckle.

"They're out in the garden with Icheb." Naira answered him.

"Okay, I'll go see what they're up too." Said Chakotay, "Thanks for looking after her Naira, sorry we took so long up there."

"Oh, it was no problem. We were having fun, weren't we Aylen?" Naira replied, smiling down at the little girl.

"Yes." Aylen muttered distractedly as she pulled at her mother's wrists for attention. When Seven obligingly met her gaze she said determinedly, "Mama, let Naira do your hair pretty."

Naira flushed, shooting Seven an embarrassed look. "Aylen, your mother's hair is pretty as it is, she doesn't want me to…" She began to try to explain, getting more and more flustered.

Aylen's blue eyes focused on her mother beseechingly. "But Mama…" She started in a wheedling tone, "I save red ribbon for you, you like that." To make her point clear, she waved the claret coloured ribbon in front of Seven's eyes.

Seven felt her horrified expression begin to fall away as her daughter's buttering up technique began to work. "All right my love, if Naira will consent." She smiled sheepishly at a surprised looking but willing Naira and took Aylen's place on the chair, pulling her flaxen hair loose as she did so. "Come sit on my lap sweetie."

Aylen settled happily on Seven's lap, throwing Naira and Chakotay a triumphant look."Mama's favourite colour is red."

"Yes, it is." Chakotay agreed indulgently, looking warmly at his wife. It was good to see her playful side, she'd do things for the children she'd never dream of doing for anyone else, and there had been far too much stress lately. The news of their new baby was a much needed sunny spot in the darkness of ongoing war… He was pulled from these thoughts by the appearance of a frantic and visibly out of breath Icheb at the patio door. "What's wrong Icheb?" he asked in concern.

"I saw Max eat some sand, will that damage his digestive system? Should we take him to the Doctor?" Icheb asked anxiously, wide eyed.

"No, no, he'll be fine…" Chakotay started to brush him off but saw that the younger man still seemed somewhat panicky and sighed, "I'll come out and see him, okay?" he told him, calmly stepping outside to see what all the fuss was.

As soon as Chakotay had shut the door behind him Naira uttered an exasperated sigh, "Prophets help me, I hope he's not this easily worried with our baby…"

Seven gave a light, knowing laugh. "It's likely that he will be, but don't worry, Chakotay and I have learned that it's natural."

* * *

Chakotay stepped out into the garden to see Michael happily sitting in the swing where Icheb had left him and Max sitting in the small sand pit next to the fence. He approached Michael and asked, "Michael, did you see Max eat anything?"

Michael's small shoulders gave a small shrug. "Just sand. Push me high Papa."

"I'll come back and help you swing in a minute son." Chakotay assured him before heading over to Max in the sand pit. "Hi Max, did you eat the sand?" he asked as he lifted him into his arms.

"Yesh, yucky." Max replied, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth.

"Yes it's yucky, that's why Mama and Papa are always telling you not to eat it aren't we? Don't do it again." As the boy nodded, Chakotay, as he glanced over at the still worried looking Icheb said under his breath, "You nearly gave Icheb a heart attack. Now go play." He put the toddler down and headed back to Icheb with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, the sand is clean, we only bought it last week and Max is always putting things in his mouth, he's like Michael that way…"

Icheb cut him off, "Be that as it may, I should have exercised more vigilance, he could have…"

"But he didn't, he's fine." Chakotay said firmly but saw that Icheb still looked dissatisfied. "Look Icheb, things like that happen all the time. Don't tell anyone this but when Seven was in the hospital expecting Max Michael swallowed a marble…"

Icheb's eyes bugged out in horror, and Chakotay remembered his own petrified reaction. "Really? Was he okay?"

Chakotay chuckled sheepishly, "Yeah, the Doctor just told me to calm down when I went to the hospital. But anyway to get to the point of the story, just because there's some scary incidents doesn't automatically mean you're a bad father, do you know what I'm getting at?"

Icheb blushed hotly, "Yes, I believe so, but what if I…"

Chakotay shook his head at him and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be perfectly fine Icheb."

Icheb's head lowered gratefully. "Thank you." He murmured sincerely.

* * *

"Did you call the Doctor for an appointment?" Chakotay enquired of Seven as they walked back into the living room to join Icheb and Naira after tucking the children up for the night.

"Yes, for tomorrow, 1000 hours at Starfleet Medical." Seven replied quietly as she slid into the room, but she saw from the way concern crossed Icheb and Naira's faces that they'd been overheard.

Icheb couldn't contain himself and with characteristic Borg bluntness asked, "Are you ill Seven?"

Naira flushed on his behalf. "Icheb! Let them have some privacy for the Prophets' sake!" She reprimanded sharply.

"No, it's okay Naira…" Said Chakotay, glancing at Seven to tell them, who sat heavily down on the couch across from the other couple.

Waiting for Chakotay to join her before explaining, Seven sighed and began to explain, "I'm going to see the Doctor tomorrow because I've discovered that I'm pregnant again." She didn't allow them to comment before launching into an apologetic tone, "I apologise to you both, I never intended to…"

Icheb stopped her, his smile wide and his eyebrows raised high. "I believe the human phrase would be "to steal our thunder"? Seven nodded silently and he uttered a loud laugh. "That is an irrelevant concern Seven; I always presumed you may have more children and why shouldn't you? You have always been an exemplary mother."

Naira nodded vigorously, "Yes of course, don't be silly!" She smiled shyly at Seven. "I'm really happy actually; I was worried about going through this alone, with being so far away from home and all…"

Seven felt relief flood her, "I am happy you feel that way." She admitted quietly as Chakotay beamed at them all. Seven already knew she'd hear several "I told you so's" from him later as they contently settled into all kinds of baby related conversation.

**A/n: I know that nothing much really happened in this chapter but I hope it was at least quite cute. Please review! :D For my readers that also read "The Loving Game", would you mind looking at the poll I've got concerning that story on my profile page and maybe vote? Thanks.**


	63. Chapter 63

**A/n: I'm really sorry about the long wait for this. Please enjoy and review!**

"Tom and B'Elanna invited you and Naira to lunch too after we're all finished with the Doctor…" Chakotay told Icheb as the former Borg tried to help him corral all the children into one room so he could dress them.

"We had to decline their invitation." Icheb said regretfully, "After Naira's appointment I've arranged to see Commodore Fraser about a temporary Earth based position."

"Really?" Chakotay echoed, this being the first he'd heard of it. "What does…" He stopped as Max tried to wriggle out of his grasp, "Sit still Max while I find a t-shirt for you!" He ordered sharply when the little boy continued to struggle. Quickly rummaging through the chest of drawers he found a top he thought might still fit Max and held it up to him, "Arms up please!" Obligingly Max lifted his arms and let the top go over his head, giving Chakotay enough breathing space to continue his question to Icheb, "What does this job involve exactly?"

"I was only contacted about it late last night but I believe it would be focused on building new defences for Earth." Icheb answered.

Chakotay winced, was the war really heading in the direction of Earth already? Glancing down at his hyperactive youngest child, he hoped not. Speaking of hyperactive children, at that moment Aylen ran in screaming, Michael hot on her heels brandishing a purple crayon. As Aylen clutched breathlessly at his legs, seeking an effective shield from her brother, Chakotay sought an explanation, "What's all this about?"

"Papa, Michael's going to draw on my face with _my_ crayon!" Aylen wailed against his knees.

Chakotay couldn't tell whether she was scared of being drawn on or angry about Michael stealing her crayon, but he knew how to sort it out either way. "No he won't Aylen." He assured her, shooting Michael a warning look to which he paid no heed whatsoever, sticking his tongue out as his sister. "That's enough now…" He began to discipline as Aylen tried to snatch the crayon from Michael, "Both of you stop it! Give me the crayon." He waited until it had been placed contritely into his hand before speaking again, "Now both of you settle down or I'll tell Auntie Rini you've both been too badly behaved for her to come and look after you today."

"No! We be good now!" Both of the twins exclaimed in horrified unison at the threat.

"Okay then." Chakotay said with a sigh, moving on. "Aylen do you want me to brush your hair?" he asked her, noting how messy it was, though that wasn't exactly surprising with all the cat and mouse she and Michael had been playing all morning.

"Mama do it, like always." Aylen replied, her dark brows furrowing as she looked up at her father in confusion.

"Mama's not feeling too well this morning honey, I'll have to do it." Chakotay explained gently, cursing his luck that Seven's morning sickness had kicked in with a vengeance that morning.

"Oh, okay." She agreed in a mumble as Michael appeared by her side again.

"Mama's sick? She eat something bad?" He asked Chakotay worriedly.

Chakotay chuckled slightly, wondering how the three of them would take the _real _reason. "Not exactly son, but she'll feel better soon, don't worry." This reassurance seemed to have the desired effect on them and they calmed down significantly, letting him finish getting them ready before they headed downstairs with Icheb while he checked on Seven, knocking on their en-suite's door. "Are you feeling any better?"

He heard a heavy sigh, the tap running in the background as she replied, "I'm functional." He took that answer as a negative response as she appeared through the door, looking grey faced.

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "That's good." He said, knowing that disagreeing with her would do neither of them any good. "I finally managed to get the kids ready for Irene coming…"

"I asked you to do that more than half an hour ago! What happened?" Seven asked as she pulled her hair back neatly in front of the bedroom mirror.

"I was shorthanded!" He exclaimed defensively as she laughed. "We'd better go if we want to make the appointment on time and get to Tom and B'Elanna's…" He paused as he saw her face fall, "What? You don't want to go? The kids will be fine with Irene for a few hours…"

"No, I know." Seven answered quietly, "Of course I want to visit them, why wouldn't I?" she murmured before disappearing out into the hall as she heard the doorbell ring. In truth, part of her dreaded having to give Tom and B'Elanna their news, she didn't want to aggravate the pain of their recent miscarriage, in fact just thinking of how she'd feel if their positions were reversed made her feel even more nauseous…

* * *

"I programmed their lunches into the replicator but you can of course help yourself to whatever you want and if they misbehave…" Seven outlined what she had planned to Irene for the third time that morning as Chakotay, Icheb and Naira stood at the door waiting to leave.

"Annika, you explain this to me every time I babysit for you, try not to worry so much!" Irene advised her gently.

Seven felt herself begin to blush. "I apologise for being repetitive Aunt Irene…" She began earnestly but Irene patted her soothingly on the arm.

"You seem awfully nervous today dear, is there anything wrong?" She asked carefully. Seven sighed painfully and leaned over to whisper her news in her aunt's ear, out of earshot of the three toddlers at their feet. Irene's face paled in surprise for a moment but then she laughed softly. "I suppose I won't be dismissed from my babysitting duties for a while yet then?"

Seven bit her lip anxiously, "If you ever feel we're taking advantage of you…"

Irene hugged her tightly before she finished the sentence. "Don't be silly, it's wonderful news!"

Icheb cleared his throat. "We are in danger of being unpunctual Seven…" He reminded her quietly, earning himself a glare from his wife.

"Icheb don't be so rude! Anyway, it's very likely that all the Doctor's going to tell me to do is eat those vile herbs my mother sent me, just like every other doctor I've seen…" Naira said, frowning.

"They can't taste that bad if they're good for the baby Naira…" Icheb began to retort impatiently.

Ignoring the bickering beside him, Chakotay squeezed Seven's arm gently. "He's right honey, we're going to be late."

Seven nodded silently and came into step with her husband, smiling at her aunt, who said reassuringly, "Everything's going to be fine."

**A/n: Sorry it's so short after such a long wait, I wanted to make it longer but I don't have time tonight. Please review anyway! :D**


	64. Chapter 64

**A/n: I'm sorry I haven't updated, I've not be feeling that well. Thanks to xXTheGothicBumblebeeXx for writing the sequel to "Union", "Carnival of Rust". It's a great story!**

The Doctor calmly ran his tricorder over Naira, his eyes swiftly sweeping over the results for a moment before he spoke, smiling with satisfaction, "You're doing well, everything's proceeding as it should be. The only thing I advise you to do is…"

Naira rolled her pea green eyes pre-emptively, "Eat my pregnancy herbs?" She finished grumpily, fiddling irritably with her wedding ring as she did so.

The Doctor smirked with amusement. "Precisely. Your family already sent you some I presume?"

"Prophets, yes!" she exclaimed. "Mother nags me continually over the comm. system, and Icheb is even worse…"

"They are necessary Naira, especially because of this child's unique parentage…" The Doctor admonished her gently but threw Icheb a teasing look as the new husband opened his mouth to intercede, "Although I can order Ensign Icheb to stop the nagging while in the confines of my office."

Icheb nodded slowly, the slight wrinkle of his brows revealing that he was taking the Doctor seriously before his words confirmed it, "Of course Doctor, if it affects your efficiency…"

The Doctor somehow managed to remain straight faced but Naira giggled while looking at Icheb with affection and Chakotay, sitting with Seven waiting for the Doctor's attention to fall on them, couldn't quite stifle a chuckle as Icheb blushed slightly. Moving on, the Doctor waved Naira off the biobed, saying as she slid back onto her feet, "I hope you take the advice of the veterans in our midst about to give parenthood _another_ go…" He smiled teasingly at Seven as she replaced Naira on the biobed, who completely ignored him except for a slightly raised eyebrow.

He scanned her slowly, his expression pensive as he met the couple's eyes again. "I really would've preferred not putting your implants through this again…" He muttered tightly.

"Is something wrong?" Chakotay asked urgently, his face paling with anxiety.

"Not anymore than the other two times but each time I have to administer this nanoprobe weakening drug for months on end, it has a detrimental effect on essential implants…"

With pursed lips Seven interrupted him, "My attitude to the risks hasn't changed Doctor, proceed." Seeing that not only Chakotay and the Doctor but also Icheb and Naira were looking at her with worried apprehension, she let a small smile cross her lips, "Don't worry, we're not planning on another pregnancy after this one…" She tilted her head questioningly at Chakotay, "Are we?"

Chakotay looked startled for a millisecond before he laughed, having seen the teasing glint in his wife's eye and responded while still laughing, "No, no, I don't think so."

"But you didn't plan for this one either." Icheb smilingly pointed out with his customary Borg bluntness.

Seven shrugged at him as the other three collapsed with laughter, "Then I suppose we will have to become more efficient planners."

* * *

Seven shifted uncomfortably in the wicker patio chair as Tom set out the drinks for the garden lunch, the catheter the Doctor had put into her side to administer the drug itching and painful, although she knew that in time she'd become more accustomed to its presence… Her trail of thought was unceremoniously broken by a light tug at her sleeve and she glanced down to see a newly four year old Miral peering questioningly up at her. "Where are Michael, Aylen and Max?" she asked with a note of her mother's legendary Klingon impatience.

"They're at home today with my Aunt Irene." Seven answered honestly.

Miral's face fell. "But I got a new trampoline! I wanted them to play with me…" She began to whine before changing tact, "Why didn't you bring them?" she demanded.

"Well…" Seven began but was interrupted by Tom, B'Elanna and Chakotay returning with the food.

Taking the seat closest to his daughter, Tom ruffled her hair. "Yeah, why did you come here today Seven? Has Icheb's arm gotten worse?"

Seven shook her head, "No, in fact the Doctor said it's healing faster than he expected; he has recovered 80% of the movement so far."

"That's great news." B'Elanna said warmly as she tried to get Miral to sit still and eat her meal.

Tom also smiled, but his face darkened as a new possibility occurred to him. "Dad's on a board covering Earth's defences, apparently they're having a big brainstorm over how to combat the Notsinians, have they consulted you Seven?"

Seven swallowed hard, remembering the futility of such defences in her Collective flashbacks. "Not directly, they ask Icheb more readily, since he is a qualified member of Starfleet. He should be consulting with them at this very moment in fact." She couldn't quite suppress a shaky sigh but she felt Chakotay's warm hand close firmly around hers, his fingers gently caressing the smooth metal. She caught his eye and smiled gratefully at him, sometimes she couldn't help thinking that he could read her mind somehow.

He returned her smile before turning his gaze back fully to Tom and B'Elanna. "Actually we went to see the Doctor because Seven is expecting again." He informed them, beaming.

Seven watched their faces with trepidation but only the slightest flicker of regret crossed either face before it was replaced with happy surprise, Tom laughing. "For God's sake, you _do_ know that you're going to have over half the average number of kids now right?" He joked as he gave Chakotay a slap of congratulation on the shoulder.

"Are you hoping for a girl or a boy this time?" B'Elanna asked.

Seeing that Seven seemed reluctant to speak, Chakotay responded, "I'd like a girl this time I think, although another boy would be nice too of course."

Seven lifted her head from where she'd been focused on the floor to look at him in surprise. "What makes you come to that conclusion?" she asked curiously.

"Well, then we'd have two of each and Aylen wouldn't be outnumbered anymore." Chakotay explained.

"I think Tuvok would commend that logic!" Tom laughed.

* * *

B'Elanna smiled as she watched both her husband and Chakotay entertain Miral with a trampoline contest and sat the jug of newly replicated lemonade on the table next to Seven, whom she'd noticed with concern, had been quiet even for her that day. "Anything wrong Seven?" she asked.

Seven jumped at the sound of her voice but then froze as she met her gaze. "No, of course not. The lunch was commendable, thank you."

"Thanks." B'Elanna replied as she sat down. "So…" She began, "This news came as a bit of a shock then, huh?"

"Yes, that is an accurate statement." Seven answered quietly as she sipped the offered glass of lemonade.

"Remember what happened when I found out about Miral? Icheb thought she was a parasite!" B'Elanna laughed at the memory.

"I can clearly remember." Seven replied softly, her eyes fixed on her lap.

B'Elanna could sense that there was something up and started carefully, "Seven…" The other woman lifted her gaze to hers, B'Elanna saw deep compassion within the pale orbs and abruptly realised what had been bothering the ex-Borg. "You're not thinking that this would upset Tom and me, were you?" she asked, trying to keep the disbelief from her voice.

Seven couldn't think of how to reply without offending her and as such nodded mutely. B'Elanna exhaled deeply and tried to explain, "It was very sad for us, you know all that, but that doesn't mean I blame you or Chakotay in any way…" She sighed, "It's just the way it is. I appreciate your concern but that shouldn't make you any less happy, I've found that you have to appreciate happiness while you have it, do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes…" Seven mumbled before pulling herself together and looking B'Elanna directly in the face. "I understand. Thank you." She said sincerely.

"No problem." B'Elanna responded warmly, sipping her own drink as she watched her daughter play.

* * *

Seven lifted Max into her arms, an awkward manoeuvre now that she was eighteen weeks pregnant, and sat him down beside his siblings on the couch before going to stand with Chakotay, who began to tell their news to their antsy children. "You know how Mama and Papa told you there's going to be a new baby, a new brother or sister for the three of you?"

"Yes…" Michael replied, already bored and reaching down to his train set on the floor.

Max pointed a chubby finger at his mother's protruding stomach. "In Mama's tummy." He pronounced, having learned that much previous explanations.

Chakotay smiled at him, "That's right Max. Today the Doctor told us you're going to have a little sister, isn't that great?"

Michael shrugged noncommittally in response and hopped off the couch to go back his trains. Max mimicked the shrug and followed his brother like a loyal puppy, anticipating being allowed to play, but Aylen's reaction was the polar opposite, she burst into inconsolable sobs.

"What's wrong baby?" Seven asked as Aylen jumped into her lap and curled into a tight ball, still sobbing.

Chakotay stroked the long strands of silky black hair. "Aylen honey, you'll like your little sister just fine, I promise…"

"When…when will you get rid of me Papa?" Aylen choked out, almost inaudible to her parents as she continued to cry.

"Why would we get rid of you baby? You're our little girl…" Chakotay soothed, perplexed.

"Lily said you would…if I got a…sister…" Aylen replied in a whisper.

Seven frowned deeply. Lily, the seven year old from across the street, was always telling the children such ludicrous things! Gently repositioning her little girl so that she could see her face fully, she told her, "Lily was lying to you Aylen." Seeing that the child didn't fully believe her, she tried to explain, "Papa and I didn't get rid of Michael when Max was born did we?"

"No…" Aylen sniffed.

"And we certainly won't be getting rid of you either, Papa and I love you too much." Seven said with gentle firmness, hugging her to her for extra confirmation.

Aylen blinked her sky blue eyes up at both her parents and mumbled, "You promise?"

Chakotay and Seven both exchanged a smile before replying in chorus, "We promise!"

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I hope nobody minded the time jump in the last section; I just wanted to move the story forward a bit. **


	65. Chapter 65

The year 2381, already a traumatic one for the Federation and its allies, was finally on the wane, autumn giving way to winter, not that this gave much relief to Starfleet as the war against the Notsinians showed no sign of ending. By October Harry Kim's uncensored reports back to his former Voyager crewmates were disturbing to say the least, the fleet was run ragged protecting the more outlying planets and colonists were encouraged to flee as the swarm of Notsinian locusts poured relentlessly out of the Bajoran wormhole and ravaged all before them. Despite all this, the governing bodies of the Federation and Starfleet were trying to play down the situation to their citizens, although extra security measures and power restrictions, necessary sine hurriedly erected planetary shields had begun draining the supply, gradually crept in on every planet, even on Earth, which hadn't seen an attack since the Xindi War of two centuries before.

Despite all this, life generally continued as it had before, even for people with a heightened awareness of the situation like Seven and Chakotay. In fact Seven was so stubbornly avoiding the subject that as November dawned she persisted on planning a third birthday party for the twins, disregarding the fact that rationed transporter use and the heavy workload at an overstretched and nervy Starfleet meant that most of their old colleagues couldn't leave San Francisco or wherever they were posted just to attend a children's birthday party.

"Seven…" Chakotay began gently as he walked into the kitchen the morning before Aylen and Michael's birthday to find her busy cleaning the place from top to bottom. "You know you can relax a little right? It might just be the five of us this year you know…"

Seven shook her head without lifting her gaze from the countertop she was scrubbing industriously, "No, Aunt Irene is coming, and Naira, if she can get permission from the Doctor at her next check up."

Chakotay gave a small chuckle, "I'll believe that when I see it, Naira looks ready to go into labour anytime now, I doubt the Doctor would let her leave San Francisco."

"She has a month of her pregnancy remaining." Seven pointed out defensively, "She said she'd try her best, as did B'Elanna, although Tom's still flying those test flights sixteen hours a day…"

"The new attack ships?" Chakotay asked curiously, "Are they working out? I know Tom helped design them…"

Seven pursed her lips tensely, "According to B'Elanna, Starfleet has almost as high hopes for them as Tom does." She sighed heavily, which Chakotay knew was a sign of doubt in her, and glanced down at the to-do list she'd written for herself, "Do you think I should make the treats or let the children help? It'll be quicker if I do it…"

Chakotay snorted in amusement, "Come on Seven, you baking with them is always the highlight of the day, and it's become a birthday tradition to have to wash chocolate or flour out of someone's hair before the end of the day!"

Seven smirked at the memory, she was perhaps taking her drive for efficiency a little too far, the main purpose of the day was that the children have fun after all." "I suppose you're right…" She admitted reluctantly, not willing to completely concede to him.

"How about you take a break then? I managed to convince the kids to play hide and seek upstairs, I'm meant to be counting to thirty…"

Seven's eyebrows shot up, "They'll be sitting waiting for you! You should…"

"Knowing those three, they'll still be bickering over who gets to hide in our wardrobe, we've got plenty of time." He informed her knowingly.

Seven laughed out loud at that, "Okay, you and the frantically kicking baby here have convinced me."

"Are your implants still bothering you?" Chakotay asked her suspiciously. When she nodded sheepishly his face and voice took on a shade of anger, "The Doctor ordered you to rest if you weren't feeling well…"

"If I remember the last few minutes accurately, you had just convinced me to rest." Seven retorted teasingly, earning both a laugh and an exasperated sigh from Chakotay as she followed him into the living room and they sat down on the couch.

The music which had been playing in the background of the room through the planetary wide side came to a sudden halt a couple of minutes later and an official's serious voice filtered through, "Please turn on your home consoles to hear an urgent Federation wide announcement. Thank you."

"What's happened?" Seven asked worried as Chakotay jumped up from the couch and ran over to their console.

"I don't know…" Chakotay muttered in a low tone as he switched on the console and turned the screen so that the could both see the screen, where an older man in a red Starfleet uniform, the pips of an admiral standing out starkly on his collar, stared seriously out at them.

"That's Admiral Grant, the commander of the Notsinian taskforce…" Chakotay began, stopping midsentence as the Admiral began to speak.

"Citizens, I'm speaking today, because there has been a regrettable and disturbing development, Delvos VI, in the Ktarian system, has been ravaged by the Notsinians and as we speak, the Fleet are valiantly defending Ktaria itself. As you all no doubt know, this is the first time a home world of a member of the Federation has been attacked and as such we are now in a siege mentality. Please remain calm and be patient with local authorities, I hate to say it, but the Federation itself is on the front line…"

"Turn that off…" Seven hissed tightly, sinking back in her chair as Chakotay obliged, his face white.

"Ktaria… That's over 200 light-years from the wormhole…" He murmured in disbelief. "We'll need to call the Wildmans; Grekrendtregk will be worried about his family…"

"Not now." Seven said softly. "He'll have enough phone calls to make."

Chakotay sighed, pity for Naomi's father and his family overwhelming him. "You're right, I'll…"

Michael's indignant voice suddenly interrupted his father, "Papa, you never came to look for us!"

Chakotay looked at his three young children glaring at him in the doorway and for a moment didn't know what they were talking about, running a stressed hand through his hair. "What? Oh the hide and seek…I forgot I'm sorry…"

"Hmph!" Michael responded and stormed off in a huff, quickly followed by his siblings.

Chakotay sighed; try as he might unable to get his mind away from the war situation. "Should I go and talk to him?" he asked Seven heavily.

Seven stood up, "Yes. There's nothing we can do and just because we got bad news doesn't mean Michael should get away with speaking to us like that."

Chakotay nodded and left to go after the children, Seven returning to the kitchen a few minutes later as they tried to forget what they'd just heard.

**A/n: I'm sorry this chapter is so short and unsatisfactory, I've got to do and lot of homework and bake a cake today! PLEASE REVIEW! :D (I got Naomi's father's name from another fanfic, I hope its right!) **


	66. Chapter 66

**A/n: This chapter is for xXTheGothicBumblebeeXx as a thank you for writing my request, it's called "Shreds and Shards" and it's brilliant!**

Seven lifted her head up from where she was preparing the children's' lunch and laughed under her breath when she saw her husband leaning against the wall, gasping for air. "I see that hide and seek developed into a more rigorous game." She commented wryly as she handed him a glass of water to revive him.

Chakotay laughed, "You could say that, but I had to make up for forgetting about them earlier… I've played three rounds of tag, each with one of them on my shoulders…"

Seven laughed at the image. "Well, you can take a break for now, lunch is almost ready." She informed him, shaking her head at her family's antics, but glad that Chakotay had found a way to take his mind off that morning's disturbing developments.

"Great!" He replied enthusiastically, giving her a quick peck on the lips as thanks. "I'll go and round them up…" He was interrupted by the shrill and insistent ring of the telephone and sighed, "I'll just go and answer that…"

Seven held him back with a shake of her head, "No, I will. Go and gather the children for lunch, it's probably just Naira about the party anyway." He nodded in agreement and headed off towards the garden where he'd left the children while Seven went to the phone, frowning in uncertainty when she saw the stern face of an unknown male Starfleet Captain staring back at her. "Good Afternoon, can I help you?" she questioned with terse politeness.

His smile in return was small and uncertain, his eyes serious. "I'm looking for Chakotay ma'am; do I have the right number?"

"Yes, I'm his wife." Seven replied coolly, unable to stop herself from continuing sharply, "What do you require of him?"

The man shifted uncomfortably under her piercing gaze but his answer was evasive. "I'd rather speak to your husband about that first ma'am."

"Of course." Seven responded, feeling a surge of agitation rush through her as she stood up even though she'd expected that answer. Normally she would never have dreamed of intruding on Chakotay's private conversations but something about this situation made her feel ill at ease.

With wobbly steps she walked back into the kitchen just as Chakotay walked in through the patio door with their three excitable children in tow, his indulgent smile as he answered Michael's question about cake disappearing when he saw Seven's face. "What is it?" he asked her in concern.

"A Starfleet Captain wishes to speak to you." She replied with dread heavy in her voice.

Chakotay looked at her in surprise before kissing her lightly, "It'll be nothing, don't worry." He whispered comfortingly, his hand brushing momentarily over her small baby bump as he left her side and headed to the phone, frowning impatiently at the stranger on the screen, "This is Chakotay here, what can I do for you?"

"Hopefully quite a lot." He replied wryly, smiling sheepishly at Chakotay's raised eyebrows. "My name is Captain Gareth Yates, until recently I was the commanding officer of the U.S.S Endeavour, but I'm now the newly appointed head of the Earth branch of the Notsinian taskforce."

Chakotay nodded in realisation. "The Endeavour, everyone's heard of their exploits. I'm sorry I didn't recognise you…"

Captain Yates laughed, "Voyager's a great deal more famous, I assure you!" He saw Chakotay withdraw from the praise and changed subject, "But I'm sure you're curious as to why I've called you today…"

"To be honest, yes." Chakotay admitted.

"Well, what my convoluted job title doesn't tell you is that I've been appointed by Admiral Grant to oversee the further development of Earth's defences and strategic plans and I need good people like you to help me Chakotay."

Chakotay frowned in puzzlement, "But…I've been decommissioned ever since I stepped off Voyager, I've been a civilian for over four years now…"

"Not anymore Commander." Yates replied, then proceeded to explain, "The Federation Council passed a temporary measure last night in wake of the attack on Ktaria, all fit Starfleet officers, current or former, can be requested for duty…"

Chakotay held up his hands defensively, "Wait a minute, is this request of yours compulsory Captain?"

Yates shook his head. "No, of course not. You're not being drafted Chakotay, this is still entirely voluntary but you come _very _highly recommended. Your experience being thrown in the deep end in the Delta Quadrant, fighting the Borg, Species 8472, the Kazon, the Hirogen, others I haven't even heard of, could be invaluable in our fight against the Notsinians, with Admiral Janeway's memory problems, you're the highest ranked Voyager officer we can consult…"

Chakotay took a deep breath being cutting in, "I understand all that, and I'm very flattered, but I can't just fly off on a starship right now, I have commitments…"

"The post isn't on a starship; we need you here in San Francisco. Many people are going back and forth to their families at the weekend, myself included." Seeing Chakotay's doubtful look, he added carefully, "It may only be for a few weeks until this Ktarian situation has calmed down anyway, I'll give you a day or two to think about it, but we really would like you to start on Monday if you're able."

Chakotay sank back in his chair, staring at Yates in disbelief, until the words of his answer came slowly, "I'll think about it Captain."

* * *

Seven felt her heart sink to her stomach when Chakotay reappeared; his frowning face lost in thought as he took her arm and murmured in her ear as the children played contently around them, "I need to talk to you."

She stiffened but followed him into the adjoining room, closing the glass panelled doors behind her so she could still see the children in this quieter environment. "Well? What did they want?" she asked tightly, feeling a chill go up her back when he wouldn't meet her eyes, "Chakotay?" she pressed with more harshness than she had intended.

His dark eyes finally fixed on her face as he said slowly, "They want me to work for Starfleet, consulting on the war effort…"

Seven's lips parted in horrified shock. "They want you to leave your family and get entangled up in…in this…" She was for a moment lost for words, "This dangerous fiasco they're calling a war?"

Chakotay grasped her agitated hands tightly and held them still. "No, I wouldn't be leaving Earth. I'd be working behind the lines, so to speak, in San Francisco. I'd be perfectly safe and I might even be able to commute there just like with my job now…"

Seven jerked herself away from him in disbelief, her face pale. "You're going to do it aren't you?" She asked in a strange robotic tone which frightened him.

"Seven, I wouldn't be in anymore danger there than I am here and if my knowledge of what Voyager went through prevents bloodshed…" He stopped when she nodded painfully, though he could see tears hanging from her lashes. "I know it would leave you in the lurch but the moment you had any difficulties with the baby I'd be back here in an instant and I'm sure Irene would help you with the kids, I'll only be gone a couple of weeks…"

Seven's snorted bitterly, "They say that now, Starfleet's timelines are notoriously flexible!" Her eyes flashed at him as overwrought tears began to slide down her cheeks, "It's not the extra workload I'm worried about Chakotay! You know I could cope with that, but not having you…"

He wrapped his arms tight around her shaking shoulders. "Listen to me; you're not going to lose me, _ever_." He waited until he felt her head nod into his shoulder before he spoke again, "You understand why I need to do this, don't you?"

Seven lifted her head. "Of…of course I do." She replied, her voice still husky from crying but perfectly sincere. "I, more than anyone else, understand what it will take to defeat them, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it…" She trailed off and twisted away from him, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "When are you to be there?" she asked without looking at him.

"Monday." He replied quietly, he saw her stiffen at the word and guilt coursed through him, what was he doing upsetting her like this?

"Oh..." Seven started, her voice oddly high pitched. "At least you'll be here for the twins' birthday." She muttered tightly.

"Seven…" Chakotay began pleadingly, grasping for her arm but she shook her head.

"Just…" She took a sharp intake of breath, "Just give me time to adapt to this development Chakotay. I do not wish to discuss this anymore." She whispered stoically before hurriedly returning to the children in the other room without another word.

**A/n: I hope you don't hate me right now! PLEASE REVIEW! :D As I said in my "Consequences" update, I'm going to Wales tomorrow until Wednesday night so don't expect anymore update until Thursday at the earliest. If anyone puts up a C/7 fic while I'm away, I'll review when I get back!**


	67. Chapter 67

**A/n: Thanks to lisac1965 for updating "The Little Girl" last night, xXTheGothicBumbleBeeXx for updating "The Borg With Butterfly Wings" on Friday and Strat99 for giving me ideas for this chapter!**

Seven and Chakotay both tried their best to put the unresolved issue of Chakotay's job offer aside for the duration of the twins' birthday party, and in some ways they succeeded, the children all having a glorious time oblivious to their parents' turmoil, but the few guests who did come could sense the strained atmosphere in the normally peaceful, happy home and left much quicker than they usually would have done. Seven knew all this as she sat down heavily at the kitchen table, holding her aching head in her hands with a sigh. Why was she torturing herself about this? She understood why Chakotay had to go; she hadn't been lying the day before, so why did she have to feel so irrationally fearful and uptight?

"Annika honey?" Seven's head snapped upright and twisted around to follow the voice, only to see Irene standing next to her, her careworn face creased in gentle concern.

Seven felt herself began to blush for ignoring a visitor, even one so regular as her aunt. "Oh, I apologise Aunt Irene, I didn't realise you were still here…"

Irene waved her apology away, "You don't have to stand on ceremony with me Annika, and you should know that." She admonished her gently before taking the free chair next to her at the table and peering intently into her face. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong sweetheart?" she asked softly, sighing as Seven remained silent and averted her glassy eyes. "Is there something wrong with the baby?" She questioned in a near whisper, scanning Seven's abdomen anxiously.

Seven's throat tightened in guilt, she really had nothing to worry about! Shyly, she smiled weakly at Irene, "No, she's fine, perfect or so the Doctor says…" She murmured in relief, unconsciously wrapping her arm protectively around her bump as she did so.

Irene breathed a deep sigh of relief and leaned back in her chair before curiously studying Seven's face once again, "But there _is_ something up?" She pressed carefully.

Seven sighed again and stared at the table for a few uneasy seconds before finally meeting her aunt's kindly eyes, "Starfleet offered Chakotay a temporary post in San Francisco…" She mumbled, surprised by how shaky her own voice sounded.

Irene leaned over and held her hand understandingly. "It's to do with the war, I assume?" When Seven nodded in confirmation her voice took on a soothing tone, "I know that moving house would harass you, with the kiddies being so young, but you say yourself that its only a temporary posting and you have plenty of friends in that city don't you?"

Seven bit her lip, feeling unexpected tears well up in her eyes, "I would happily move permanently if he asked me to, but he wants us to stay here!" She burst out suddenly.

Irene gave her hand another squeeze, sensing a marital misunderstanding. "Have you told him that dear?"

Seven looked slightly startled, then sheepish. "Well no, not yet…"

Irene laughed softly. "Annika, he's a man, not a mind reader!" When met by Seven's blank look, she explained, "I highly doubt he _wants_ to live away from you and the children if he could avoid it, he probably just thought _you_ wouldn't want to leave, especially considering your condition…"

Seven stiffened. "My pregnancy should be irrelevant to this situation." She told her aunt bluntly.

"It's always going to be relevant Annika, you know how we all worry and Chakotay especially, it's never been easy for you…"

Her sentiment sobered Seven considerably and she thought for several minutes before speaking again, "Even if we could stay together, I am still not entirely comfortable with him working for Starfleet at all…" She admitted quietly. When Irene looked at her enquiringly, she elaborated, "If he becomes involved with them now, and they are certain to value his contributions…" Irene smiled at the hint of pride in Seven's voice as she said this, "They'll want him to deepen his involvement when the war worsens, command a starship or…" Her voice trailed off, a lump of anxiety blocking her throat.

Irene frowned at her incredulously, "Now Annika, I think you're selling that lovely husband of yours a little short, do you really believe he'd go off anywhere without consulting you? You know he's perfectly capable of saying no to Starfleet, he _was_ a Maquis after all."

Seven laughed a little at that, smiling gratefully at her aunt. "Thank you Aunt Irene. My fear may have been obscuring my sense of perspective."

Irene smiled fondly at her unusual phrasing, "You're welcome dear, it happens to us all sometimes. Why don't I watch the children while you go and have a nap? You look knocked out for six."

Seven would have normally refused outright, but at that moment she was feeling truly drained, both physically and emotionally and so rose slowly up from the table, "I think I will Aunt Irene if that is convenient."

* * *

Chakotay walked into their bedroom an hour later, immediately seeing from her posture lying stiffly on her side on the bed that she was not asleep but asking politely anyway, "Are you asleep honey?"

Seven breathed a laugh into her pillow, "You know I'm not or else you wouldn't have risked waking me to ask." She commented as she sat up to look at him.

Chakotay grinned, "You're right." He admitted with a laugh. "Is that baby girl of mine giving you trouble love?"

"None more so than usual." She replied, giving her protruding stomach an affectionate pat before eyeing his nervous face suspiciously. "Is there something wrong?"

"No…" He muttered, "I've had an idea, I'd really like you and the kids to just come with me to San Francisco, only if you wanted to of course, I'll work around you…"

Seven's face fell as understanding dawned, "My aunt talked to you." She stated it as a fact.

"A little." He admitted sheepishly. "It wasn't that I wanted to leave you here Seven, I just didn't want you to be stressed…"

"I know." Seven replied with a sigh. "But I would find living apart from you for any significant period much more stressful my love…"

"Okay!" Chakotay announced with a look of relief. "That's what we'll do then."

"Where will we live?" Seven asked, her practical mind already desperate to organise.

"We'll rent an apartment for a month or so I suppose and shut this place up. It'll be a lot smaller than what we're used to here though…"

"We'll adapt." Seven replied confidently, "But I'd like to return here for Christmas."

Chakotay nodded vigorously, "Oh, I doubt we'll be there that long, but if we are we'll definitely come back home for Christmas." He frowned as he saw Seven's face brighten. "What?"

"Perhaps Starfleet would take me on as a civilian consultant. I have more experience of the Notsinians than anyone else in the Alpha Quadrant…"

Chakotay blanched. "I'm sure they'd love to have you honey but…" He swallowed and looked at her seriously, "You've just gone on maternity leave from your job here, the workload would be far too much to be safe for you and the baby…"

Despite his words, Seven's face was set. "You just said it would probably be over before Christmas, I'm not even twenty three weeks along, I have time…" Seeing that he was beginning to look exasperated, she changed tack, "The Doctor would step in if my health was comprised Chakotay. You said that you feel you need to do everything in your power to help, well so do I."

Chakotay was struck speechless by that and it was a few minutes before he put a warm arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "We'll ask them, alright? I can't promise anything." He said seriously, feeling her nod against his chest before lightening his tone, "Well, I suppose this means Starfleet will get to know the genius in this marriage and just get rid of me!" He joked, making Seven giggle in relief before giving him a passionate kiss.

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	68. Chapter 68

Seven shivered as she walked, together with Chakotay, down the long, implausibly winding corridor that led to Captain Yates' office. Chakotay noticed and frowned in concern, shrugging his jacket off and placing it around her shoulders, "You okay?" he murmured in her ear as he rang the doorbell for admission.

Her smile in reply was tinged with guilt, the last thing she wanted to do was worry him even more. "I'm fine." She replied in a firm, reassuring tone but glanced at all the trimmings of Starfleet officialdom with unease, "I find this place rather…unsettling, that's all."

He nodded solemnly, "I can't say I disagree with that." He said quietly, seeking her hand out with his and squeezing it, "Listen, don't be disheartened if they don't accept your offer right away, Starfleet like to think they can do everything themselves…"

Her rising eyebrows were accompanied by a wry smirk, "I'm well aware of that…"

She was interrupted by the sudden swift opening of the doors, seeing Captain Yates come forward with a smile of greeting, stopping mid-step in surprise as he realised his new recruit was not alone but quickly recovering his geniality, "Very punctual, I can tell we're going to get along fine, come in please."

Chakotay let Seven slide quietly into the front in front of him before warmly shaking Yates' hand. "Hello Captain, it's good to finally meet you."

"The feeling's mutual." Yates replied brightly as he politely extended his hand to Seven, who grasped it with little of her usual reserve, immediately warming to the man. "You're Seven right? It's nice to meet you too."

"Likewise." Seven replied softly as Chakotay smiled encouragingly at her.

The sound of a throat clearing in the back of the room made Yates jump, then laugh, turning round to face a previously unnoticed occupant of the room, a middle aged female commander. "Oh, I'm sorry, this is Commander Annabel Reese. She's going to be one of your colleagues Chakotay, one of the best defence engineers in Starfleet if I may say. Annabel, this is Commander Chakotay and his wife Seven of Nine, both formerly of the U.S.S Voyager."

The smile of pride that had formed on Reese's face quickly dissipated as she observed the two newcomers, her nod of acknowledgement cold, and Seven noticed that she moved protectively to shield the plans spread out on the briefing table from her sight in particular. "Charmed." She said in clipped, formal tones, though both Seven and Chakotay doubted her sincerity.

Yates now studied Seven with friendly curiosity, "Did you come to hear what your husband would be doing with us?" he asked, casting a sympathetic, if slightly patronising glance at her pregnant belly, "I assure you he'll be in good hands…"

Seven braced her shoulders, "I'm sure he will be, but that is not my main reason for being here today, I believe I could be of some assistance to your efforts."

Yates took a sharp breath in then swallowed before cautiously replying, "In what way exactly?"

Seven sighed; did she have to make everything obvious? "I have a great deal of knowledge about the Notsinians, until this invasion they were completely unknown in this quadrant, I can help you to rectify that deficiency of knowledge to the best of my ability."

"I'm sure that you could…" Yates began awkwardly, "…but don't you think your condition is a little too advanced for that? Surely you're on leave from your normal job?"

"I am, but I am not so far along as to be incapacitated, the Doctor will watch my health carefully." Seven stately with confidence she didn't fully feel. "My only wish is to help protect the planet on which my family and I live."

"That's noble of you, even though everyone knows you think this war is a lost cause." Reese remarked pointedly. "Who's to say you'd be averse to helping them along, with them being so cosy with your Collective and all?"

"Are you calling my wife a trait…" Chakotay began to growl angrily until Seven put a strong, restraining hand on his arm to stop him, sighing as she did so and looking Reese straight in the eye.

"It is true that I fear for the Federation's defeat, but only because I know what the Notsinians are capable of. The Borg have never succeeded in assimilating them, what the Collective know of them, and therefore what I know for I _was_ a drone, comes from scavenging the remains of the civilisations they destroyed." She stated with icy matter-of-factness before her eyes narrowed to a glare, "It is irrelevant to me what you think my motives are, but you must believe me when I say that they are a dangerous enemy."

Yates gulped audibly before frowning at Reese, "Let her look at the plans."

Reese stared at him in horror. "Do you really trust her Borg technology, which has killed more of our citizens than any other, to protect us?"

"You're acting as if we have lots of options!" Yates snapped, "Let her look at the plans Commander!"

Reese reluctantly stepped aside as Seven approached the table and let herself become absorbed in study for a few minutes before beginning to move the plans around to suit the logic of her mind. She met Yates' frowning eyes, "You're considering using Breen planetary shields?" she asked.

Yates sighed, "We were, but the Klingon energised plasma cannons, the only weapons that have any affect on their ships, also overload the shields, so they're useless."

Seven digested that for a few seconds, then suggested, "If you use a field stabiliser, such as Species 53…" She cut herself off as they winced, "…the Hikarins use, you could eliminate the problem, and if you combined the plasma cannon technology with Romulan phase torpedoes you may get a more effective weapon."

"If it's that easy for you to figure out, why haven't the Borg wiped them out?" Reese accused, earning herself another glare from Chakotay as he curled his arm supportively around his wife's back.

Seven bit her lip, finding the Collective's thought process about such things difficult to explain. "The Borg assimilate others knowledge, they do not invent their own, it is time consuming and inefficient, but efficiency is low on the Federations priority list at the moment and I am not a drone."

"No, I don't believe you are…" Yates mused thoughtfully, "I think we'll take you up on your offer, until your baby arrives at least or this damned war is over, hopefully the latter before the former if this works."

Seven contained her relief and happiness until they'd left the building, then finally allowed Chakotay to wrap her in a proud and exuberant hug, both of them laughing with a reckless abandon they hadn't experienced in weeks.

**A/n: I'm sorry this is so short, I had a three hour Chinese lesson today and so am very tired. PLEASE REVIEW! :D I have new C/7 fic up called "The River of Time", please read it too!**


	69. Chapter 69

Numbness had spread up from Chakotay's hand to his shoulder by the time he finally got the chance to dump the bag, PADDs practically bursting though its seams, in the narrow entrance hall of the rented San Francisco apartment that stretched the meaning of "compact". He didn't call a welcome, he was late home again and didn't want to wake the children as he had two nights before, but Seven's tired and exasperated voice answered his question about whether he'd see their children awake that night, "No, I'm not going to read you another chapter…" Chakotay heard the soft thump of a closing book, "We've all had enough of Flotter for one night, its bath then bed."

Aylen immediately struck up in an indignant voice, "Naomi told me she got to play with a Flotter hologram…"

Seven sighed, "Well, Naomi was a very lucky little girl with a holodeck within five minutes of her quarters. We're not going to talk about this now; we're going to get ready for bed…"

"But Papa no here!" Max exclaimed as if the very idea offended him.

"Yeah!" The twins chorused loudly.

Chakotay decided it was time for him to enter this domestic scene and walked in purposefully to see all four of them crammed onto the apartment's small couch, Max had even somehow managed to squeeze onto his mother's lap despite her thirty week old baby bump. "Well I'm here now and in full agreement with your Mama, it's time for bed."

"No…" All three children began to whine, Michael even going as far as jumping off the couch and trying to run off, but Chakotay was quick enough to grab him and fling him over his shoulder, walking towards the bathroom.

"That's enough now!" He reprimanded sharply as Michael tried to kick free.

"Play with me, I'm bored, not tired!"

Chakotay bit back a chuckle and exchanged glances with his wife as she herded the other two into the bathroom. "Oh…I'm pretty sure Mama and your Auntie Irene played with you a lot today…"

"They did…" Michael admitted reluctantly as Chakotay set him down on the cold tiled floor, but then frowned accusingly up at his father, "But I not play with you for long, _long_ time!"

Stung despite himself, Chakotay winced in guilt and slowly crouched down in front of the three toddlers, "If you're well behaved for bath time I'll read you another chapter when you're all tucked up nice and warm in your beds, okay?"

"Okay!" The siblings all agreed brightly.

* * *

Chakotay walked into his and Seven's temporary bedroom, leaving three clean children securely tucked in after _three _chapters, and sagged onto the bed with sigh of frustrated exhaustion. "Next time I suggest uprooting our whole family and working God knows how many hours for Starfleet, remind me of this day!" He moaned to Seven, who left the en-suite at those words and quickly sat down beside him, rubbing his tense muscles.

"If this is about the children's behaviour tonight, don't take it too hard, they're just getting used to the change, you never worked this much at home…"

"I never wanted to! I still don't! I've never wanted to turn into one of those fathers that only see their children every once in a while…

Seven lay down beside him and kissed his cheek, "Why do humans exaggerate so? You'd never let that happen and neither would I!" She patted her growing stomach thoughtfully, "And besides, we're definitely going home when this one comes, I refuse to have those three _and_ a newborn stuffed into this little place, I already feel like I'm losing my sanity living here this long."

Chakotay laughed, "Well, I doubt it was built to take a family of five that would soon be expanding to six!"

"No…" Seven agreed nonchalantly as she tucked her head into his shoulder sleepily. "How is the construction of the new defences going today?"

"Oh, you mean your _arsenal_? The one you and Icheb designed with hardly any help?" he teased.

Seven flushed in embarrassment. "Starfleet offered us a great deal of assistance Chakotay, it is hardly _mine_…"

He hugged her affectionately. "I know, but a man's allowed to have some pride in his wife isn't he?" She allowed herself a soft smile in reply to that and he answered her question, "All of today's testing went perfectly and things are staying on schedule, for the time being at least, which is a good thing since the Notsinian fleet has reached Betazed…" He stopped as Seven gasped in horror and sighed heavily, "I'd feel a lot better if you could still work on it and increase our efficiency…"

"You're the one who agreed with the Doctor and put me on leave!" She reminded him hotly before sighing, "At least I'm not on total bed rest…"

"Yet." Chakotay added sympathetically, rolling onto his side to face her, "Listen, I think that if you give those PADDs I brought home a quick look over in the morning I could probably get the afternoon off. We could take the kids out for a final trip before you're in the hospital…"

"Tomorrow? We can't, it's baby Calan's blessing at the Bajoran temple tomorrow! You told me you'd get the whole day off!" Seven exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's tomorrow?" Chakotay asked tightly. "Do you think Icheb…"

"We need to be there Chakotay, Naira's already upset that her family haven't even met her son yet because of the unessential travel ban and they can't reschedule it because religion dictates it must be done on the baby's twenty eighth day of life." Seven explained, sounding exasperated. "We hardly saw them at Christmas…"

Chakotay stroked her pale face, drained of almost all energy, soothingly. "Don't worry, I wasn't suggesting we stand Icheb and Naira up, I'll be there."

"Good." Seven murmured in relief, snuggling her sleep leaden head against his chest.

"Maybe we'll manage to squeeze in a vacation before the twins go to preschool; the baby will be weaned by then…" Chakotay suggested sleepily but was surprised to get no response. "Seven?" he asked softly as he glanced over at her but realised with a smile that she was already sound asleep.

* * *

Seven pressed her face further into the pillow as the clap of thunder hit her ears, waiting with irrationally bated breath until she saw the blaze of jagged silver lightning burn through the black sky. It's ridiculous being afraid of a metrological phenomenon! She berated herself angrily as she rolled over, with great difficulty considering her nearly thirty five week baby weight, her hand unconsciously seeking the familiar comfort of Chakotay's closeness but instead finding only cold, empty sheets. With a sigh she sat up, she hated it when Chakotay did night shifts, although she was loathe to admit it to her anxious husband, after all he needed to do it if Earth's defences were going to be in any way ready for the now inevitable Notsinian attack. Still that reasoning did nothing to banish the loneliness, especially when she was feeling as uncomfortable as she did then. Really regeneration was what was required but her fear of the storm outside would only intensify if she were trapped in an alcove… "Mama!" Aylen's panicked cry filled the air as another bolt of lightning struck and Seven was suddenly hit by a memory of her own young self called for her parents in such a situation.

The memory left her disorientated for a few seconds and it took Aylen's second cry before she replied, "I'm coming, baby!" she called through softly, pausing to rub her badly swollen ankles before walking hurriedly to the children's room, every wall having a child bed or a cot pushed hard against it. "Aylen honey? What's wrong?" Seven asked, seeing now that all three children were awake, Max sobbing quietly in his cot while the twins sat bolt upright in bed.

"It's scary outside Mama, I can't sleep!" Aylen wept fretfully as Max tried to scramble over the cot's bars to get to his mother as the sound of the rain outside intensified.

"Okay, okay…" Seven murmured, "How about you come and sleep with me tonight?" She smiled sheepishly as she jumped at the bang of another thunder clap, "I'm a little scared too…" Aylen immediately jumped out of bed and ran to her side as she slowly lifted Max out of the cot, gasping in pain as a spasm scorched up her back, "Max…will you walk yourself for Mama just now?" She asked through gritted teeth as she set him down and rubbed her aching back, turning to look at Michael as the other two ran off towards their parents' bed. "You can come too Michael love."

"No…" Michael replied, though his voice shook with uncertainty. "I'm a big boy now, I stay here."

"Alright baby." She replied fondly, giving him a kiss before climbing back into bed with the other two.

Some time later Seven was jerked violently awake by a hideous sound, almost like the sky was being ripped apart. Before she could see fully what it was, a blood red light streamed in through the windows and the smell of smoke hit her nostrils as all three of her children screamed, having seen what it was. Without thinking she was at her window, the sight of a huge ship looming low in the sky over the city greeting her, red weapons fire bouncing off the green glare of the shield or finding its target. A scream of her own left her lips as she realised what was happening and a sudden crippling pain brought her to her knees. Gasping in agony she glanced down and saw that her pyjamas were soaked in bloody fluid. Oh no, please not now, _please_…

**A/n: PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D **


	70. Chapter 70

**A/n: The 70****th**** chapter! I can't believe it! Thanks so much for the support everyone! :D**

Oh no, not now, _please_… Seven mentally pleaded with her unborn daughter as another flash of Notsinian phaser fire sliced through the humid city air. Aylen's mouth dropped open to scream but her mother's groan as a contraction hit cut her off, her panic stricken blue eyes swivelling round wildly to stare at her mother's buckled over frame, "Mama! What's wrong with you?"

Gasping for air Seven dragged herself upright using the wall and tried to plaster over the pain on her face with a reassuring smile, "No…Nothing baby, will you go and get Michael for me please?"

"I'm over here Mama." Michael said in a small voice from his bedroom threshold. He frowned at her uneasily, "Mama…is it my sister's birthday?"

Seven laughed hoarsely, remembering how Chakotay had explained to them how their baby sister would come. "Yes, yes I think it is…" She gulped as another contraction hit, they were scarily close together, it had taken _hours_ with her other two labours, and stumbled towards the phone, glancing back at Michael and Aylen, who was already hugging a whimpering Max, "I need you two to look after Max while I call your Papa and the Doctor, alright?"

Although pale faced they both nodded vigorously and Seven collapsed into the chair by the phone, entering Chakotay's work number with superhuman speed, but instead of Chakotay, who despite the attack she'd been fervently hoping would answer, it was Captain Yates' young secretary, Ensign Fuller who answered. "Can you put me in contact with my husband _now_?" Seven ground out at her through gritted teeth.

"A comm. blackout has been declared ma'am." Fuller replied with cool formality.

"This is an _emergency_!" Seven retorted sharply, her fists clenching around the arms of the chair until her knuckles went white.

"We're having a bit of an emergency here! The city, no, the entire planet, is under attack! The Commander is in the strategic bunker and there's absolutely _no _way to get in contact with him until the state of emergency is lowered." Fuller explained.

Panic began to burrow even deeper into Seven's heart; Chakotay was in the heart of Starfleet headquarters, the logical place for the Notsinians to firing on? What if he was in danger? What if he was already? Every shred of learned courtesy within her was worn away and she resorted to her old Borg bluntness as she snapped, "Well, when you _can_ find a way to communicate with him, tell him his wife is in labour!"

"Oh…" Fuller choked out, embarrassed understanding flooding her features, "I'll do the best that I can to get through to him Seven."

"Thank you…" Seven breathed, managing a weak smile of gratitude before redialling to get through to the Doctor.

It took him several horribly drawn out minutes to answer and when he finally appeared he looked seriously frazzled, "Seven? What's wrong? Is Chakotay injured or…" He began to ask urgently but Seven cut him off, surprised to feel tears sliding down her cheeks in relief and fear.

"I don't know…but I'm in labour…" She choked out, trying not to sob as her mind became overwhelmed.

The Doctor blanched, his lips parting in shock. "Are you sure?"

"My membranes ruptured eleven minutes ago, there was blood…"

The Doctor gulped, but his medical programming soon overtook his emotional subroutines. "We've got a triage situation here, we're not meant to be taking non acute emergencies…" He trailed off, his brow deeply furrowed in worried thought, "You've still got your emergency beacon though haven't you?"

"Yes." Seven answered immediately, thinking of the small comm. badge sized device hidden from the children's curious eyes in her bedside table.

"Use that then, it should still get you here. Are the kids with you?"

"Yes!" She braced herself for another contraction, let it pass, and then continued, "Chakotay isn't here, and I…couldn't get through to him! What am I going to do?"

The Doctor frowned at her, "How far apart are the contractions?"

"Between four and…three and a half…minutes."

"Well then, you don't have a choice. Get to this hospital as soon as you can and Chakotay will just have to join you when he can."

"But…" Seven began to protest weakly.

"Seven, this is your fourth child, time is of the essence here! I don't think Chakotay would forgive me if I let you deliver while you're there waiting for him, do you?"

"No…" Seven admitted reluctantly, "I'll see you imminently." He nodded and she clicked off the phone, walking painfully over to her bedside cabinet to pick up the beacon before gathering her children around her, "Come on, we're going to see the Doctor." She told them as the transporter kicked in.

* * *

And the night had stared out so peacefully… Chakotay groaned to himself as he shouted orders to his subordinates in the bunker while his eyes never left the viewscreens fixed high on the wall which revealed the level of chaos outside. Despite himself every time he heard a new report the fear nibbled at him that the apartment had been obliterated and that Seven and the kids were gone. Thankfully the shield was holding up for now, but it had been under constant bombardment for over three hours and the Notsinians had adapted, with a speed the Borg would admire, to their weaponry. "Captain Yates! Commander Chakotay! There's a weakness forming in the shield, it'll spread fast!" Lieutenant Cooper shouted, making Yates wince.

"We need a weapon that will drive them back or else we're done for! This is their largest fleet yet; our starships are dropping like flies!" Yates exclaimed, struggling to keep his voice low as he leaned closer to Chakotay and ordered, "Go and see what Icheb's doing about those shields, we need more time."

"Yes sir." Chakotay replied quickly, immediately setting off on the convoluted path to Icheb's console. "Yates wants to know how long the shields are going to hold up for."

Icheb sighed grimly. "30 minutes, perhaps a few more but not much." Seeing Chakotay's face fall in horror, he looked up at him seriously from his position bent over the scans, "I think we can adapt the weapons to be more destructive but…"

"But?" Chakotay asked with impatient terseness.

"I'd need to use the multi phasic cannon."

"The ones Species 8472 used? I thought you and Seven ruled that out."

Icheb shrugged, "The Federation may not find them completely ethical, but if they worked on the Borg…"

Chakotay swallowed, "How long would it take you?"

"25 minutes at least." Icheb replied quietly.

That's pushing it a little close… Chakotay worried privately but as he glanced up at the battle scenes on the screens and heard alarms blare in his ears he said, "Do it."

* * *

"10 minutes until shield failure." Lieutenant Cooper updated them once again, his voice now shaking with fear.

Come on Icheb, come on… Chakotay willed silently, closing his eyes for a moment in silent prayer just as Icheb's voice fizzled through Yates' comm. badge within his earshot, "The cannon are ready Captain."

"Aim and fire Ensign." Yates replied tightly.

Within seconds the sky was lit up with gold balls of all powerful energy, even in the bunker they could hear the explosions of contact. Abruptly the sound of weapons fire bouncing off the shield stopped and Cooper's astounded voice filled the room, "They're retreating… They're leaving!"

"He's right!" Chakotay exclaimed joyfully. Almost immediately he felt an anxious tap on the shoulder and twisted round to see Fuller staring anxiously at him. "Fuller? How did you get in here?"

"Thank God they finally let me in!" She exclaimed breathlessly, "Your wife phoned over four hours ago to say that she was in labour…" She didn't get to finish the statement as Chakotay swore vividly and pushed past her in a mad rush to the doors, "She's in Starfleet Medical!" She shouted helpfully after him.

* * *

Almost dizzy with breathlessness Chakotay crashed through the door of the room he'd been told Seven was in. "Doctor! Doctor!" he shouted wildly, only stopping when he saw Seven writhing on the bed in the full throes of labour and ran to her, grasping her clenched and sweat soaked hands in his. "Oh honey, I'm so sorry…" He groaned, feeling guilt ridden, but his only response was a cry of pain, her eyes glazed and unseeing.

The Doctor now finally moved his concerned gaze from his patient to her husband, "Good, you're finally here, for the home stretch at least, this one's coming a little quicker than her implants can handle…"

"Are they in danger?" Chakotay asked in a near whisper, paling in shock when he saw that the nurses were preparing Seven for pushing.

"I don't know…" The Doctor replied quietly before pushing him back to his wife's side. "You concentrate on getting her through this emotionally and I'll focus on everything else, okay?"

Chakotay nodded hastily when he saw he had no choice in the matter and knelt by Seven's bedside, stroking her face over and over. "The Doctor says you have to push now sweetheart alright?"

Finally her dazed, pain wracked eyes settled on him. "Cha…Chakotay, what's happening?"

"You're in labour honey, just relax and push." He soothed as the Doctor shouted orders at her, which thankfully she seemed able to obey despite her semi-conscious state.

"I…I was so worried…" She choked out between pushes, tears of pain rolling down her cheeks.

"I know, I know, but I'm here now. Just focus on that new little daughter of ours." He coaxed and after a few more perilous minutes the weak, but familiar, cry of a newborn baby filled the room and he kissed her, happiness miraculously overriding the strain for a moment or two before he saw the Doctor's face darken, "What's wrong?"

A nurse took him gently by the shoulders and pulled him upright, "Why don't you go and sit in the waiting room while we're stabilising them? Your other three children are out there being watched by a student."

Chakotay saw from her face that the decision wasn't optional and nodded dumbly, walking out of the room as his wife and new daughter were worked on by a crowd of staff with a dead mind and slumping into a chair in the hallway, his head flopping against the wall. "Sir?" A young nurse poked her head out of the room next door, "Your elder three are asleep in the crèche, I'll keep watching them for you."

He mustered up a smile from somewhere. "Thanks." After she'd disappeared he lost track of time, until that is a baby's whimper jerked him out of his stupor and he realised the Doctor was standing directly in front of him, a bundle of pink blanket in his arms and a smile of relief lighting up his face. "Is…Is that her?" Chakotay asked, barely willing to breathe. "How's Seven?"

The Doctor laughed, "Why else would I be giving you this baby unless she was yours? Seven's weak for now but she'll recover in time." He placed the baby in Chakotay's arms, which immediately closed around her in protective pride. "I think she'd better stay your youngest though Chakotay, for the sake of Seven's health, no more pregnancies."

Chakotay nodded vigorously as he gazed down at the barely awake baby, her impossibly blonde eyelashes and brows framing eyes that were as dark as his own. "I love her Doctor, wouldn't replace her now, but I'm not putting Seven through that again."

The Doctor nodded in understanding, "Do you want to take your newest arrival to meet her mother?"

Chakotay beamed in reply and allowed the Doctor to lead him to the chair by Seven's bedside, sinking into it and rocking the baby against his chest as the Doctor checked all of Seven's drips and machines before giving her a hypospray to wake her up and leaving the couple alone. Chakotay carefully watched until her eyelashes began to flicker, "Seven?" he asked gently as she gradually became aware of him.

"Chakotay?" she mumbled sleepily, her eyes widening as her memories came back."What happened? Where's my baby?" she cried fearfully.

"Shh… She's right here, gloriously unaware of all the trouble she caused." Chakotay murmured, immediately moving their daughter from his arms to hers.

Seven cuddled the baby to her possessively, giggling in relief as his comment sunk in but tears sliding down her face in tandem with the sound. "You…you _both_ gave me such a fright! I thought…I thought that I'd lose…"

"We're all fine, thank God!" He exclaimed, kissing her. "The planet's fine too, that's to Icheb's last minute intervention."

"They're gone?" Seven whispered in disbelief.

"We won this battle."

"Good…" Seven murmured, falling into silence until she'd fed the baby and rocked her back to sleep, "Did…did the Doctor tell you I shouldn't have more children?" she asked quietly.

Chakotay nodded gently, hearing the nervousness in her voice. "How could we get more perfect than two of each? Four has always been my lucky number anyway, well, except for seven of course."

"You're not disappointed with me?" Seven asked but got only an intensely loving kiss in response. "Thank you my love." She whispered as he finally pulled back.

"Thank you." He replied seriously as he stroked the baby's tiny hand. "So, if this is going to be our last chance in the name choosing game, how do you think we should choose?"

"I've already chosen her name." Seven admitted nonchalantly as she stroked the baby's downy blonde head

"Oh?" Chakotay questioned, taken aback, "What is it then?"

Her smile widened. "Taya Irene Kotay." She informed him decisively.

**A/n: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D I want to know what you think of the name! **


	71. Chapter 71

Seven awoke with a start as a crashing sound hit her ears, instantly alert and scanning her hospital room for dangers, breathing a sigh of relief as she realised it was only some damaged tiles sliding off the hospital's roof and shattering on the ground. Trying to calm her irrationally racing heart she sank back in the pillows and took some deep breaths, it's over, we're _safe_. A soft whimper nearby quickly pushed these fretful thoughts aside to make room for more immediate concerns as she leaned over her bedside and lifted her unsettled two day old daughter from her bassinet. "I know, I know baby." She cooed soothingly into baby Taya's delicate ear as the newborn whined against her shoulder, "That noise gave me a fright too, shh…" She expertly moved the baby from her shoulder to a cradling position in her arms, ignoring the pain that shot up the implants in her left arm, the Doctor had warned her that her cybernetic systems would be weakened and dysfunctional for at least a few more days, the life endangering labour had taken its toll. Despite that, she smiled lovingly down at her daughter as she snuggled into her top's soft fabric, she'd rather suffer any level of pain than have her children feel it, and thankfully Taya's early and traumatic arrival hadn't done her any harm. Seven gulped hard as she remembered the agony of having the twins in intensive care for weeks, even more than three years later, the memories of their struggles and the separation still hit a raw emotional nerve with her, she suspected it always would.

Stroking the new baby's velvety cheek to soothe herself, she twisted around to look again out of the room's window. The sky that hung over San Francisco was a leaden grey, an ordinary enough scene for early February, what wasn't so usual was the wafts of smoke which still drifted upwards from ruined buildings all around, some areas were completely decimated and she realised with a shock that the Golden Gate Bridge was missing a whole mid section, the girders bent and smouldering. Once again she felt grateful that her older children had been safe in the hospital with her during that disastrous night, and were now tucked away in Tom and B'Elanna's untouched suburb outside of the city, what if…

A rhythmic snore from the corner of the room thankfully stopped her train of thought and instead brought an unexpected laugh to her lips. Glancing over at Chakotay, asleep in a nearby chair, then back at Taya, she whispered over the baby's head, "Maybe you're not the one who's going to be keeping me awake." Taya sucked nonchalantly on her tiny fist in response and Seven once again studied her husband. She realised with a twinge of worry that he looked as grey and drawn with exhaustion as the damaged city did outside. He'd been working far too hard, hopefully now that the Notsinians had been beaten off, for now, her naturally pessimistic Borg side cautioned, their lives would settle down again…

As if he could sense her gaze on him, Chakotay's eyes snapped open, a smile immediately curving his lips at the sight of his wife and daughter. "Hey…" He began drowsily before rubbing his bleary eyes and asking, "What time is it?"

"0926 hours." Seven replied briskly.

Chakotay stared at her in disbelief, then ran a hand through his hair. "Really? Why didn't you wake me? I should be on baby duty."

Seven smiled at him affectionately, "You looked in need of the additional sleep."

He snorted softly, "You're the one who just gave birth the night before last honey."

Taya began to cry as if on cue and Seven laughed, "It would be hard to forget!"

Chakotay nodded in agreement and reached over to take the baby to the changing table, "I think that night's going to be permanently engraved on my memory for lots of reasons, this little one for one." He admitted as he tickled his youngest child.

"How many people were killed Chakotay?" Seven asked abruptly.

Caught off guard, Chakotay remained silent for several seconds, he hadn't wanted to upset her while her health was so fragile, but he knew she wouldn't let it go. "1308 and still counting." He told her quietly, "Two wings of Starfleet Academy are going to have to be rebuilt, not to mention the town hall and all the houses…"

Seven replied without looking at him, her gaze again on the view outside the window, "The Golden Gate Bridge is gone too. That was the first Earth monument I ever saw, remember?"

"As I recall, you were somewhat underwhelmed with it." Chakotay reminded her, thinking back to their first few days in the city, when Starfleet had been so suspicious of them both and their relationship.

Seven smiled at the memory, "Yes, but still, it's sad that it's been ruined, and all those lives lost."

Chakotay nodded solemnly as he gave Taya back to her and shut the window blinds so they no longer had to look out on the sight of devastation. "We'll rebuild, we always have. At least the Notsinians seem to have come off worse, they're gone."

Doubts sprang to Seven's lips but she was stopped from uttering them by a knock at the door, B'Elanna poking her head in, "Can you have visitors?"

Both Seven and Chakotay's faces were transformed by wide smiles, "Of course!" Chakotay told her before she hurried in.

"Let's see her then." B'Elanna said as she eagerly approached Seven's bed. Seven handed Taya to her and a warm smile immediately lit her face, "Oh she's so sweet! She really reminds me of Aylen, except for the eyes of course, don't you think?"

Chakotay and Seven exchanged smiles, "We think so."

B'Elanna sat down on the edge of the bed, carefully cradling the baby. "So Seven, what did he have to do to get you to give him a namesake?" she asked Seven, shooting Chakotay a teasing look as she did so.

"It was entirely my choice, Chakotay didn't even suggest it. It just seemed to suit her, it was such a relief to have them both safe that night, and she has his eyes." Seven answered as she carefully tucked a loose corner of Taya's blanket back around her. "My Aunt Irene was happy with the middle name too." She smiled as she remembered her aunt's touching response to the news of her new great-niece, tears had filled the blue eyes which were so like her own. Chakotay, who had heard this explanation before, leaned over and gave his wife a gentle, loving kiss.

"February 9th was _definitely_ a memorable night." B'Elanna agreed, looking sad for a second before smiling down at the gurgling baby.

"Are the children behaving well for you? Thank you so much for having them…" Seven began to tell her, but B'Elanna waved her thanks away.

"Don't be silly, they're angels compared to Miral and anyway…" B'Elanna blushed slightly, "Tom and I are going to have to get used to more kids in the house…"

Seven, true to form, cottoned on straight away, "Really B'Elanna? That's wonderful! Are you…"

"Yes, we're sure. Fourteen weeks yesterday." B'Elanna answered with joy in her eyes.

**A/n: A bit of a rubbish chapter, but I'm tired and it's too hot outside. I hope the ending made up for everything though! PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	72. Chapter 72

**A/n: Thanks to xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx for starting a new story, "The Glamulet". It's focused on Miral Paris, but has some cute C/7 in it too! :D (and P/T of course!)**

Seven shifted once more on the uncomfortable hospital bed, glancing anxiously at the stubbornly closed door to her room. Her internal clock told her it was precisely 1028 hours, making Chakotay almost a full half hour late in coming to take her and Taya back home, or more accurately back to the San Francisco apartment, she still considered the Flagstaff house home, even though the family hadn't lived there for over three months now. What had happened to him? Was something wrong? Sighing irritably at her own irrational fears, she tore her eyes away from the door and instead looked out of the window, pleased to see the first clear and sunny day since she'd been in here, the sunlight bouncing off the bright machinery that was just starting the process of the city's rebuild… "Annika? Annika, did you hear what I just said?"

The sound of her Aunt Irene's voice beside her jolted Seven from her thoughts and she hastily whipped her head around to face her aunt, who sat at her bedside with Taya asleep in her arms. "I'm sorry Aunt Irene, I was just…" Seven trailed off, blushing with embarrassment, "Can you repeat what you just said please?"

Aunt Irene studied her face quizzically for a moment before obliging her, "I asked what you were going to do when this little angel…" She smiled down at Taya as the baby sighed contently in her sleep, "…when you and Chakotay want your room to yourselves again, did you make a decision on extending the house?"

Seven lay back on the bed's lumpy pillows with a sigh, "We've decided to wait a while, until things settle down at least. When Taya can sleep through the night, we'll probably put her and Aylen in the room Aylen shares with Michael at the moment and redecorate the nursery, where Max is now, for the boys' room."

"Sounds like a good plan." Irene agreed with a nod, "When they're teenagers though, I suggest you give them each as much individual space as possible. Your father and I were at each other's throats at that age even _with _our own rooms…" She stopped as she saw Seven's raised eyebrow and laughed, "Not that your four will be like that for certain, and even if they are, it's several years away…"

Seven pursed her lips and sighed sadly, "It will pass soon enough, it doesn't _feel_ like years since I was here with the twins and then Max, but yet…"

Irene leaned forward and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "I wouldn't worry about that, you've got so many things to look forward to Annika, so have I for that matter and I've lived a lot longer than you have remember." Seven gave a sincere nod of agreement, smiling at her aunt, but she still couldn't help looking to the door again, which Irene couldn't help but notice this time. "What else is wrong Annika? You've looked a million miles away for most of this visit."

Seven blanched in guilt, was her distraction that obvious? "It's nothing Aunt Irene, I apologise for my rudeness…" She paused and breathed an irritated sigh when she saw her aunt's disbelieving expression, and muttered, "I am only growing impatient for Chakotay's arrival, he is over half an hour late now and I wish to end my stay here as soon as possible!" She bit her lip in shame as amusement flashed across Irene's face and gave a small self-deprecating laugh, "I sound as petulant as any one of my toddlers don't I?" she admitted with a wry smile.

Irene laughed outright at that, "No, I was actually thinking you sound _exactly_ like your mother."

Seven's brow instantly creased, though whether from curiosity or pain she wasn't sure. "My mother? When?"

Irene patted her arm fondly, "You didn't give your mama a particularly easy time of it when you were born either, but I remember that as soon as _you_ had been given a clean bill of health she was itching to leave the hospital, didn't want to stay on the post natal a second longer than absolutely necessary. Poor Magnus, she must have given him at least five near heart attacks that week!" Her eyes glistened with both love and grief at the memory.

Seven looked at her aunt sympathetically, her own heart tightening. "I hope I haven't been _that_ abusive of Chakotay's nerves." She mused, "All I want is to go home, to be with my husband and our children."

"I know." Irene acknowledged softly, though there was a painful edge to her voice Seven couldn't quite ignore. "I'm so relieved you consider Earth home Annika, I'll admit I was worried you'd find adjusting…painful…" She swallowed hard but then smiled, "But it turns out you've become quite the little home bird…"

Seven could hear the relief in her voice and winced as she realised what it meant. "You mean that my parents were not?" she asked shakily, "Settled on Earth I mean?"

"Oh no…" Irene mumbled brokenly, then caught herself and seized Seven's hand again, staring intensely up into her face, "Don't get the wrong idea sweetheart, they _loved_ you, with all their hearts, but they were adventurous, driven…"

"I know that they did not wish for what happened to us Auntie…" Seven whispered thickly, lapsing into calling her "Auntie", just as she had as a child, "I do not mind being like them, I have just had enough adventure in my life, that's the difference."

Irene closed her eyes tiredly for a moment, "Yes, _adventure_. You've definitely had your fill of that my dear."

"Had your fill of what?" Chakotay asked as he finally made his long awaited entry into the room, "I thought you found the hospital replicators "deficient" Seven?"

Seven laughed, her face lighting up as he approached them. "They are. My Aunt Irene and I were just…remembering."

The last word had enough of a painful ring to it to Chakotay's perceptive ears that he dropped the topic immediately and wrapped a loving arm around her back as he kissed her, "Good morning honey, how are you?" he asked her softly as he pulled back.

"I am fine." She replied easily.

"Now." Irene added with a teasing laugh, "Five minutes ago she was worried she was never getting out of here!"

Chakotay shot his wife a look, "Really? I'm only late because I had some things to arrange at home, don't worry, the Doctor hasn't reneged on his word to release you today.

"Good." Seven answered with more relief than she had intended to convey, before looking at him anxiously again. "Where are the children? I thought you'd bring them with you."

Chakotay shook his head, "They're at home, until we get back there you and Taya are the centre of my attention."

Seven tried not to let her disappointment show, she'd been missing her three older children badly, and instead studied her husband's face, his dimpled grin was so wide it melted her heart, although the mischievous glint in his eyes made her thing there was something going on. "I will happily oblige you, as long as you can get me out of here." She replied in the same upbeat tone he'd used.

"One minute." He advised her before disappearing out of the door and returning with a wheelchair, wheeling it up to the edge of her bed.

Seven's hackles immediately rose. "I'll _walk _Chakotay! I'm not an invalid…" She began hotly but Chakotay held his hand up to stop her, almost as if they were a disagreeing First Officer and crewmember on Voyager again.

"The Doctor's condition on letting you go today was that you put your body under as little stress as possible for at least another two weeks, and that includes no unnecessary walking." He told her firmly.

"I'm fine!" Seven retorted, the fuse on her temper shortened by sleepless nights up with Taya, "As I've told you and the Doctor multiple times already…"

Irene intervened by stepping over to Chakotay, "I think this is my cue to leave." She told them both quietly, "Here's your lovely little daughter Chakotay." She said to him as she carefully placed Taya in his arms, whispering in his ear as she did so, with a glance back at the wheelchair, "Good luck."

Chakotay bit back a laugh. "Thanks." He replied as his arms closed protectively around the baby and watched the older woman leave. "Come on Seven, what harm will it do? The Doctor would've kept you here another month if I hadn't agreed to watch you like a hawk."

Seven arched an eyebrow at him. "Which you would have done anyway."

He chuckled, "Of course!"

Seven sighed in defeat, "All right…" Despite her wounded pride over her independence, Seven knew from experience that her body would be aching and slow for the foreseeable future.

Chakotay beamed at her, "Great!" He was about to free up his arms by laying Taya on the bed for a moment when the baby suddenly began to howl, making him pause fretfully.

Seven smiled at his expression, "She's hungry, we go when _she's _ready, not when we are."

* * *

Twenty or so minutes later, Chakotay wheeled Seven, with a now calm Taya in her arms, out of the hospital car park and down the street, although Seven noticed almost immediately that something was amiss. "Chakotay, the apartment's in the opposite direction, you said we were going straight there."

"I said we were going straight _home_." Chakotay replied cryptically, "I didn't specify the apartment."

Seven twisted her head around uncomfortably to look at him, "What do you mean?"

He gave her a boyish grin in response, "Look in front of you."

Seven gasped as she recognised the building they were standing in front of. "The transporter terminal? Where are we…" She laughed joyfully as she guessed, "We're going back to Flagstaff? What about your work?"

"I normally work there, remember?" he reminded her teasingly before explaining, "Starfleet have released me, for now. I went back to the house last night to open it up, which is why I didn't stay with you last night, and B'Elanna and Tom took the kids over there this morning for us."

Seven stared at him, mouth agape. "No more Starfleet?"

He smiled at her with warm reassurance. "No more Starfleet." He confirmed as she put her hands over his face and pulled his face down to kiss him in relief and love.

**A/n: I hope you like this, PLEASE REVIEW! :D I hope none of you mind me using Irene so much in this story, I just enjoy writing her and Seven's conversations, hopefully they're not repetitive or cliché. **


	73. Chapter 73

**A/n: Thanks to Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay for updating "Far from Home" last night! :D**

Seven felt a beaming smile spread across her lips as the effects of the transporter faded away from her eyes and she saw the jagged, snow capped mountains reaching up into the crystal blue background of the clear winter sky. Chakotay smiled in understanding, glad that his first had worked so well. "There's nothing like it is there?"

Seven shook her head lightly as she greedily inhaled the crisp, clean air; she'd been trapped in the metropolis of San Francisco for far too long. "No there isn't, it is very good to be back."

"Then being at home should be even better, shouldn't it?" Chakotay said as he eagerly grasped the handles of her wheelchair and carefully pushed her away from the transporter pad and towards the far less scenic surroundings of the car park. "Can you see the car around? I can't remember exactly where I parked it."

Seven twisted around in the chair to shoot him a mildly incredulous look, yet she could hear suppressed laughter in his voice, which reinforced her suspicion that he was still waiting to spring some more surprises on her. Taya whimpered in complaint at the sudden movement and Seven bent over to reassure her with a gentle brush of a finger on her small, rosy cheek. "Your Papa's in a strange mood today isn't he?" She cooed to the baby while flashing Chakotay a teasing grin, which he happily returned, making Seven curious enough to finally do as she'd been asked and look around the car park. She saw the car immediately, it was impossible to miss since it had a pink banner stuck to its back bumper, accompanied by matching balloons, which had written on it in block capitals, "WELCOME HOME SEVEN AND TAYA!"

Seven stared at it in disbelief for several seconds before turning to face Chakotay, her eyebrow arched high, and saying, "Tom and Harry's work I presume?"

Chakotay almost buckled over in laughter at her, wry, knowing expression. "You know them too well! I have it on good authority that all the kids had fun sprinkling confetti around the backseats though."

"Confetti?" Seven echoed unbelievingly, trying to imagine the carnage of her three children, not to mention Miral Paris and Laura Kim, gleefully dumping piles of confetti everywhere, knowing them it was probably still all over their driveway. Cautiously she stood up from the wheelchair, letting Chakotay supportively hold her arm, and opened one of the back doors. Pink and white confetti immediately blew out of the car in the strong breeze and whirled up around her like a tornado, but their was still piles of it lying in the foot wells of the seats. Shaking her head in exasperated amusements at her friends' antics, Seven turned to Chakotay, who had just finished clipping Taya into her car seat, and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck. "How did they manage to convince you to participate in this?" she asked curiously.

"Everyone's in a very celebratory mood, what with the end of the war, B'Elanna's pregnancy, Icheb and Naira being new parents and of course Taya's arrival; I just let them knock themselves out." Chakotay explained warmly before glancing back at the decorated car, "I wouldn't have let them go this far though; I took a taxi here and left them to the preparations…"

"So there is going to be some sort of party then?" Seven inquired with a teasing smile as she watched him colour, he'd obviously been told not to let the surprise slip.

"Don't let on that you know, okay?" he muttered sheepishly into her ear, making her giggle as she kissed his cheek.

"I won't, as long as _I_ don't have to vacuum out the car after all this is over."

He chuckled, "Oh no, neither of _us_ are being saddled with the clean up, I'll make sure of it."

"Good! The prospect of that would not have put me in the party mood." Seven told him firmly, making his brow furrow in concern.

"I'm sorry if you're overwhelmed by all this honey, I really did just want to have the family at home for some peace and quiet the first few days, but I was overruled…"

Seven rubbed his suddenly tense shoulders reassuringly, "Don't worry; I know how hard it is to resist some of our former crewmates when they get an idea in their head." Her smile became thoughtful and tinged with sadness as she added, "We never know when we'll next be together, not really."

"No…" Chakotay agreed in a sigh before pulling her closer to him for a tight hug.

Seven let herself relax utterly into his arms, choosing to forget that they were in a public place as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. "I've missed you…" She choked out, caught unawares by the tide of emotion that suddenly washed over her.

His grip around her waist tightened further as he rested his chin on her hair. "I know, I've missed you too, more than anything." His words were so quiet that they could barely be called a whisper, but that only increased the intensely private intimacy of them. Slowly he pulled back, a fresh smile on his face, "Are you ready to go meet the partying mob now?"

"Yes, let's go." Seven agreed happily as she joined Taya in the car.

* * *

Seven didn't need to feign surprise as they approached their house. "Did you invite the whole crew?" she asked Chakotay with apprehensive incredulity as she saw the number of people and cars clogging the street.

"I must've…" Chakotay muttered in equal disbelief as he parked, "The Admiral did say she wanted to get the whole crew back together for once, but I thought she meant some sort of stuffy Starfleet thing…"

Seven winced, "I suppose this is the lesser of two evils then." She joked as they got out of the car, Chakotay carrying Taya. She tried to avoid the house's windows as she walked to the door, not wanting to be confronted with a crowd of acquaintances before she'd even seen her other children, but she obviously wasn't careful enough as she spotted Max's beaming face glued to the windowpane.

"Mama!" he shouted so exuberantly that his parents could hear him from outside. Seven felt her heart give a little leap of love and relief as she stepped inside and he threw himself at her, chattering away incomprehensibly, after all twelve days was a long time to spend away from a nineteen month old.

"Hello Max sweetheart…" She greeted him lovingly, forcing her aching legs and torso into a kneeling position so that she could give him a big hug. "What have you been doing while Mama's been away?"

A wave of Max's arm cursorily indicated the large group of adults around them indulgently watching the scene. "We pawty!"

"I can see that..." Seven replied with a smile as everyone else laughed. Standing up again, she looked around the sea of familiar faces, "My son tells me there's a party being conducted here?" she asked jokingly.

"There certainly is, didn't he tell you it was a great one?" Tom replied in the same tone as he pressed a glass of refreshing lemonade into her hand.

"I'm sure he will." Seven answered with a nod, smiling as she felt Chakotay come to her side and snake a warm arm around her waist. "How's B'Elanna? Is she here?"

"Of course!" Tom laughed, "She's fine, just a little lost in the crowd I think."

"I think I remember saying that this was to be a _small_ gathering Tom." Chakotay jokingly admonished as he looked around, his house looked ready to split at the seams!

Before Tom could fully open his mouth to reply, a new voice intervened, ringing with laughter. "I don't remember Tom ever doing anything by halves, if he did you'll have to remind me!" Admiral Janeway said as she headed towards them, the crowd parting in her wake as she approached them, smiling as she saw Taya snuggled in Chakotay's arms. "Congratulations both of you on another healthy and beautiful little baby." She told the couple warmly.

"Beautiful yes, like her mother. I must say Kathryn and Commander Tuvok did not do you justice Seven of Nine."

Seven stiffened apprehensively at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, finding herself looking into the piercing eyes of a very tall man, his arm coiled around the Admiral's waist and his features undeniably Romulan. "Thank you." She said awkwardly, still uncomfortable with compliments, especially ones laced in such a slick, charming tone. "And you are?" she asked bluntly.

His smile became thin. "I am Petronax, the new Romulan liaison officer to Starfleet Headquarters."

Chakotay stepped gallantly forward to save his wife from the introductory niceties. "I'm Chakotay, nice to meet you." He greeted him pleasantly, shaking the other man's hand.

"Yes, very nice. Kathryn has told me so much about both of you."

Chakotay looked to the Admiral questioningly, "I didn't know Starfleet were working so closely with the Romulans."

"Starfleet has decided our interests are very…" Janeway blushed ever so slightly as she exchanged a glance with Petronax, "…compatible."

"That's great!" Chakotay replied honestly, curtailing the curiosity he felt, and could see on the faces of others, with relative ease.

"Certainly." Seven agreed while disentangling a still clingy Max from around her legs.

"I'm glad you think so." Said the Admiral, her face alight with relief and happiness. "Come on Petronax, you still need to make lots of introductions." With that Janeway moved away with the Romulan still at her side, leaving Chakotay and Seven to exchange questioning, but amused, looks.

They didn't get long to ponder this new development however, as two small figures bounded towards them. Aylen reached them first, beaming in relief as she eagerly grasped her mother's hands, "Mama, the stork let you go!" she exclaimed joyfully.

"I'm sorry baby, what stork?" Seven asked, utterly perplexed.

Aylen looked at her as if she were dense. "The stork that put Taya in your tummy and kept you in the hoppital…" She explained, stumbling over the word "hospital".

Chakotay knelt down to the twins' level. "Who told you that?"

"Miral." The twins said in unison, before Michael elaborated, "The stork put the baby in Auntie Lana's tummy." He frowned curiously up at his mother, "She says having a baby hurts too, did the stork peck you Mama?" he asked innocently.

Seven had to bite down on the inside of her mouth to keep her face straight, Chakotay failed altogether and had to turn his face, contorted with laughter, away. "Having a baby does hurt sweetheart, but not because of a strange bird, I promise."

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


	74. Chapter 74

"A boy? Oh that's wonderful news!" Admiral Janeway exclaimed in delight, beaming at the expectant parents, Tom and B'Elanna, with pride before her brow creased questioningly, "Why did you wait until now to say? If you'd said an hour or so ago the whole crew could've known!"

B'Elanna smiled wryly, "Well, you know we're not the attention seeking type…" She replied, quick as whip, earning a laugh from both Tom and Chakotay before she continued on in a more serious tone, "We really just wanted to keep the news to close friends for now. We don't want Miral feeling overwhelmed." She said honestly as her eyes moved between the few remaining people still sitting in Seven and Chakotay's party ravaged living room.

"That is wise; although I'm quite sure your daughter could cope with most situations." Seven said warmly, smiling in amusement when she saw Miral. The little girl sat sandwiched between two cushions, frowning determinedly as she fought drowsiness and occasionally casting a disapproving glance at the three elder Kotay children, who lay curled up together like a litter of kittens, already sound asleep after their exciting day.

"True." Tom agreed with an affectionate grin at his wife, "She's her mother's daughter through and through."

"I'm wondering what'll be like to have a miniature Tom Paris running about though!" Harry interjected jovially.

Tom shook his head, "There's only ever going to be one of me, thank God!" he replied in the same tone.

Chakotay noticed Tom's face tighten as he said this and realised the other man was nervous. It was well known that his relationship with his father, the famous Admiral Paris, while on a good footing now, had been difficult in his youth. Quietly he got up and shook Tom's hand firmly, "Congratulations, both of you. I'm sure everything will go fine."

Seven felt awe at her husband's constant perceptiveness overwhelm her, certainly not for the first time, as she watched Tom and B'Elanna both murmur their grateful thanks. She was so lucky that he had deigned to love her… Her cosy, loving thoughts were interrupted by the harsh sound of Petronax clearing his throat suddenly and put his hand familiarly over the Admiral's."Kathryn…" He began in that disarmingly syrupy smooth voice, "I think we had better take our leave now, we have our meeting with Senator Drollan in the morning."

"Ah yes, I'd almost forgotten." The Admiral said quickly as she moved closer to him, picking up her coat as she did so. "Thank you for throwing this party, it's been great to properly see you all again." She said warmly, addressing them all. She then turned to Seven and Chakotay in particular, smiling down at the baby in Seven's arms. "I hope Taya keeps being as nice and quiet for the two of you as she has been for this party."

"I'm not holding my breath." Chakotay answered with a chuckle, tensing as Petronax approached Seven and kissed her hand gallantly.

"Thank you for allowing me into your home tonight to welcome your new child. I truly appreciate it." The Romulan told Seven in cut-glass tones.

Seven quickly withdrew her hand from his, trying to stop her eyes from narrowing in distrust. "Thank you for attending, I…can see that the Admiral values your friendship, and as such so should we." She said as diplomatically as she could muster, relieved when she saw satisfaction fill the Admiral's face.

"We'll see you all soon!" the Admiral declared as Petronax swept her out the door.

Silence reigned in wake of their departure for several seconds before Tom finally bit the bullet and said, "Well, what do you think of _him_?"

B'Elanna shrugged, "What can I say? He's more charming and handsome than any Romulan I've ever met, but I doubt he has a drop of honour in that green blood of his, given his species track record."

"Aww come on, I know Klingons don't have a good record with Romulans but if the Admiral likes him…" Harry began defensively.

"I agree. If I am too judgemental on the basis of his species then I am in danger of being hypocritical, considering the opposition I, as a Borg, faced." Seven murmured thoughtfully.

Chakotay winced at the memories of what he and Seven had gone through to prove the strength of their relationship to others and looped an arm tightly around her shoulders, which she immediately leaned into with a tired sigh of gratitude. "It's not the exactly the same." He whispered softly in her ear before continuing in a louder voice, "I agree in principle, although even if his intentions prove to be romantic and nothing more I can't help wondering why the Romulans are suddenly so involved with Starfleet…" He felt Seven stiffen beside him, causing baby Taya to wake up and whimper.

"We'll just have to be careful what we say around him until we find out." Tom concluded.

"The Doctor always told me to deploy polite small talk with people I don't know or trust entirely." Seven mused quietly.

"I think that was one useful thing he taught you in those social lessons!" Tom laughed drily.

"Tom, I think we'd better get our priorities right and get a certain little girl home to bed." B'Elanna murmured softly, pointing to Miral, who it seemed had finally succumbed to sleep, her head slumping heavily forward.

Tom nodded hurriedly and carefully took Miral up into his arms as if she were made of glass. Harry already had Laura but turned back to his hosts before following his wife and the Paris family out of the door, looking guiltily around the house, strewn with the remnants left behind from a large party. "Do you want us to stay and help you clean up?"

"It'll wait until the morning." Chakotay answered tiredly, no more motivated to tackle the disorder than his friends. "Bye, thanks for coming."

When the goodbyes had been said and he'd locked the doors for the night, Chakotay headed back into the living room to see Seven kneeling over the three sleeping toddlers, stroking their tousled locks of differing shades of dark hair. "It seems a shame to move them, doesn't it?" he murmured, squeezing her shoulder supportively, "They're more peaceful like this than they ever are awake."

"Yes…" Seven agreed in a choked whisper, looking at them and then cuddling the new baby close. "They grow up too quickly…"

Chakotay was stopped from answering her by the sudden opening of Michael's hazel eyes. "Mama, I'm sleepy…" He mumbled.

"I know angel." Seven replied softly, taking his hand. "Come on and we'll all go upstairs."

"Taya too?" he asked.

"Yes, Taya too." Seven confirmed as she pulled him gently off the couch and towards the stairs, tonight not bothering to chastise him for putting his thumb in his mouth.

Chakotay braced himself as he heaved both Max and Aylen into his arms and proceeded up the stairs before Seven and Michael, hoping against hope that he'd manage not to wake them. The last thing Seven and he needed the first night home with a new baby were late night demands stories or snacks. Just as the thought left his head, he stumbled slightly on the staircase, causing Aylen's read to jolt up from his shoulder in wakefulness, "Bedtime story Papa!"

"Damn." Chakotay muttered under his breath, earning himself a warning elbow in the ribs from Seven as Taya began to cry.

**A/n: Please review! :D I intended to make this much longer with much more kiddie fluff but I'm out of time so that will have to wait until the next chapter. **


	75. Chapter 75

**A/n: This chapter is for xXBrightsidebumblebeeXx as a thank you for re-publishing her C/7 fic "The Borg With Butterfly Wings". It's now even better than it was before and I can't recommend it highly enough! :D**

"Okay, which story do you want? You're only having one tonight remember." Chakotay told his three elder children with a patient sigh as they struggled against his and Seven's efforts to tuck them in. Even after more than three years of parenthood he was still astounded by his children's shared ability to go from seemingly deep sleep to wide-eyed, ready to be entertained alertness! He glanced over at Seven's exasperated and exhausted face and knew the same thought was running through her mind as the twins started to negotiate.

"Papa and Mama both wead one stowy!" Michael exclaimed, a coaxing glint in his hazel eyes.

"Yeah!" Aylen agreed in delight, pulling off a large book with a glossy pink cover from her bedside table and pushing it across her bedcover towards her mother, who was sitting on the edge of her bed, Taya still in her arms as she tried to rest her aching body. "Pwincess and the Pea pwease Mama." Aylen requested softly, peering curiously at her baby sister, who was starting to whimper and wriggle against her blankets.

Michael's nose scrunched up in disgust, "No! No pwincesses Aylen! Spidewman!" he shouted argumentatively, overwrought tiredness returning to his eyes.

"Don't shout Michael…" Seven began to reprimand sharply but she was too late, Taya woke up properly and started to cry loudly.

"You hurt baby's ears Michael!" Aylen told her brother accusingly, glaring at him.

"Did not!" Michael flung back hotly as he clamped his hands over his ears.

"Stop it both of you, you're hurting_ my _ears." Chakotay intervened firmly as Aylen opened her mouth to retort. Both children fell quiet, but not before Michael gave his sister a sneaky pinch. "Now Taya's hungry so I'm going to read you all _one _story while Mama feeds her, okay?" Chakotay continued with a disapproving frown in their direction.

"Okay Papa." The twins replied in contrite unison, thankfully well aware of when to toe the line.

Max meanwhile was watching Seven get up to leave, a still crying Taya over her shoulder, with a confused expression on his face. "Why she hungwy? Not bwekfast…"

Seven couldn't help but smile at that, "No darling, it's not breakfast time yet, but little babies like Taya need more meals."

"Why?" Max asked again as his two older siblings now began to look interested.

"Because her tummy is so small and because she needs to grow quickly." Seven explained as simply as she could, "Say goodnight to your sister."

"G'night sista." Max said immediately, waving enthusiastically at the baby and earning a chuckle from the rest of his family.

Seven smiled warmly as she listened to all their "goodnights" in turn, then as she saw Chakotay pick up a book and spread it across his lap for the children to see, she whispered to him as she quietened Taya, "I'm sorry to leave you but…"

"Hey, I'm the one who woke them up, so I deal with the fallout." He whispered back good-naturedly as she gave him a peck on the cheek and left him to his story telling duties.

* * *

Chakotay walked into the master bedroom some time later to see Seven on their bed, lying on her side as she settled Taya into her bassinet beside the bed. She smiled sleepily at the sight of him, "How many stories did you have to read to bring about sleep this time?" she asked teasingly.

"Just the one, "Little Red Riding Hood". It seemed a decent compromise between princesses and superheroes." He answered with a soft laugh as he undressed and joined her in bed, wrapping an arm gently around her, well aware that she was still very sore from childbirth. "Did you enjoy your welcoming party?"

"Oh yes, it was very good to see everyone, but the best thing was coming back here." Seven replied, "It's strange to miss a house but…"

"Not really, this is _home_ after all." He reminded her as she moved her head to his chest with a heavy sigh, "I know you found the move to San Francisco, this whole experience, stressful honey and I know now that I should never have put you or the kids through it, I'm sorry."

"I'm not. It was necessary, your command skills and Icheb's and I's shields helped protect Earth." Seven said resolutely before turning her face up to look at his directly, "It was very difficult though, I…appreciate your acknowledgement." She admitted in a murmur as she kissed his warm throat softly.

Chakotay smiled at her lovingly as he tilted her head to kiss her lips. "I'm glad to give it sweetheart, don't worry."

Seven stroked his face thoughtfully in response, running a finger over the intricate tattoo on his temple. "_You _are worried about the Admiral and her Romulan." She stated matter-of-factly.

"You know me too well." He admitted, "It's just that Romulans always want something, and the Admiral still has a great deal of pull with Starfleet, it may lead to grief."

Seven sighed heavily in agreement but said after a pause, "Many people said that about us, remember?"

"I don't _want _to remember." He muttered passionately, pulling her close as if he feared she'd be snatched from him. "They actually seem well suited, if you put aside the possible consequences…"

Seven, as was generally the case, read his train of thought, "Even if the Romulans do take advantage of the Federation and Starfleet after the Notsinians are gone completely, does it matter?" she asked thickly, "I don't want to get involved again Chakotay…" she choked out past the sudden lump of anxiety in her throat.

"Hey, hey, shh…" Chakotay soothed, hugging her close and rubbing circles in her back as she buried her head into his shoulder. "I _promised_ you I was done with Starfleet didn't I?" he reminded her as she pulled back, looking tearful. "Any promises I give to you my love are a hundred times more important than anything else, trust me, I won't leave you again."

"Thank you…" Seven whispered brokenly against his lips as she kissed him deeply in relief.

* * *

"Ugh…" Seven groaned as she felt something brush against her face. Instinctively her ears tuned in for Taya's cries, but upon not hearing anything she buried her head back into the pillow, willing sleep to return. It had been a trying night to say the least, Taya, probably unsettled by all the activity of leaving the hospital, had vomited twice during the night as well as wanting fed every hour or so and although Chakotay had taken his full share of diaper changes and clean ups to let her regenerate enough to be able to function, she was still beyond exhaustion.

"Mama!" The whine which pierced her ears was accompanied by a sharp tug on her loose hair that made her gasp in pain.

"Max!" she exclaimed angrily as she freed her hair from his grip, taking a deep breath to calm herself as she saw his face, level with hers as he'd managed to climb up onto the bed with her, pulling off most of the duvet in the process. "How did you get in here baby?" she asked in a gentler tone as he clung to her.

He pointed to the open door, "Open." He said, stating the obvious as he pulled at her arms. "Git up Mama, it mawning."

Seven sighed impatiently, "Max, didn't Papa explain to you that I am very tired this morning? Go downstairs and see if Papa will make breakfast for you and I'll be down to see you soon."

Max's normally cheery and docile dark eyes flared with temper. "No, now Mama!" he demanded.

Seven cringed as Taya began to whimper into wakefulness, thinking of the hour it had taken her to lull her into sleep. Frowning at her younger son, she disentangled him from her arms and set him firmly on the floor, "Stop shouting or you're going in time out."

Max looked startled for a moment by her tone, but as he watched Seven reach over to comfort the baby a jealous pout formed on his face and he kicked the bassinet with a growl of temper."Never lash out at your sister again, do you understand?" Seven snapped angrily, before shock filled her at expressing a flash of temper to her child as his face crumpled in shock. She felt like crying with him as she followed through with her threat, "Go and sit in time out, now." She ordered quietly.

As she watched him trot out wordlessly and sit in the corner which was the designated time out spot for upstairs, Chakotay rushed in. "What happened?" he asked her gently as he saw her shaking like a leaf.

"He…he kicked Taya's bassinet and I lost my temper with him…" Seven answered shakily.

Chakotay shut the door and headed towards her, "Well he's in time out now, he won't do it again, you were right." Seven gave a reluctant nod in response and he squeezed her hand, "He's just a little jealous, you've been home with Taya for less than a day, remember."

"We haven't spoiled him or the twins have we?" Seven asked, horrified tears sliding uncontrollably down her pale cheeks.

"No, all children misbehave sometimes honey, the twins were jealous of him for a few days at first and they got over it, you've just forgotten what it was like."

"Yes…" Seven admitted, gulping as she rubbed her temples. "It would be reasonable to assume I'd know what to expect as to the after-effects of pregnancy by now but this time I'm excessively emotional, I'm losing my temper or crying over insignificant things…" She looked apologetically over at him, calming down as quickly as she had become upset.

Chakotay sat down beside her and put a reassuring arm around her shoulders, "That's why it's called the "baby blues", don't bottle it up and it'll go away, probably when you've had more sleep."

"Most likely." Seven agreed, "I apologise for any emotional volatility in advance." He smiled and squeezed her hand in reply as she stood up, handing him the baby. "I'd better go and get Max to apologise." She said with a wan smile as she glanced affectionately down at Taya, "They will adapt to her presence, won't they?"

"Of course they will." Chakotay replied as he kissed her, before adding teasingly, "They're related to you after all, and you adapt to anything."

**A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I hope you liked this, I can't believe I've reached 75 chapters, thanks for the support so far everyone! This isn't going to end anytime soon! :D**


	76. Chapter 76

**A/n: Some of my regular readers may notice that I've re-edited my songfics, "Shared Storms", "Evolution", "The River of Time" and "A Different Path". Nothing essential has changed, I've only taken out the song lyrics. Please review this chapter to cheer me up a bit; I'm sorry I haven't updated this in so long.**

Chakotay stirred into wakefulness as he felt Seven's side of their bed sink slightly as she coaxed her heavy limbs back under the warm covers while occasionally mumbling soothing words to baby Taya. Slowly he turned over and rubbed small, tension relieving circles into her back as he whispered, "Aren't you going to try to regenerate again honey?"

"Not now." Seven replied sleepily as she relaxed into the caressing touch of his hand with a sigh, "The cycle has been interrupted so often the unit needs to be recalibrated…" She was interrupted by the patter of two sets of familiar three year old feet as they trod the well worn path from bedroom to bedroom.

"Here comes the stampede." Chakotay joked in a low voice as he reluctantly pushed his share of the duvet aside and swung his legs out of bed to the summoning call of childish fists on the door panel. "Sometimes I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to lock them in their bedroom at night." He chuckled wryly as he headed for the door.

Seven, who had also begun to rise but with the slowness of someone still shaking off the after affects of pregnancy, responded in the same tone, "Our children? They'd find a way around it."

Chakotay smiled at her fondly as he detected a hint of pride in their brood in her voice. "You stay in bed another half an hour or so and I'll attend to them." He suggested firmly, returning to her bedside to give her a peck on the cheek. When he saw that she was about to open her mouth to refuse, he added warmly, "I owe you on today of all days, right?"

Seven smiled at him gratefully and sank back against the pillows without further complaint, her eyes unconsciously shining with love as she whispered, "Happy Anniversary to you too."

Chakotay gave her hand one last affectionate squeeze before slipping unobtrusively into the hall, just managing to click the door shut before Michael collided with his legs. "Wakey, wakey Papa!" he announced gleefully before shooting him a pleading look, "I want my ships, can you get them?"

"And my ponies?" Aylen added hopefully with a tug at her father's sleeve.

Chakotay chuckled; they wanted him more to get boxes of toys from shelves than for his own sake! "Later…" He started to put them off but was distracted by the familiar thump of Max succeeding in his escape from his cot. Quickly, with practise honed reflexes, Chakotay snatched the little boy up just as the small little figure sped through the doorway. "No toys until you've eaten your breakfast, you know the rules." He addressed the three siblings firmly.

"But Papa…" They all piped up in a unified whine.

"No buts." He repeated, unmoved by their grimacing faces. "Especially since today is special…"

Those words, said in his most mysterious, beguiling tone, caught their interest as much as he'd known they would. "Today is special?" Aylen echoed excitedly before her gaze became suspicious, "Why Papa?"

"Kistmas again?" Max suggested, now bouncing with anticipation in Chakotay's arms.

"No, no, it's not Christmas again son." Chakotay said hurriedly, starting to wonder if he'd opened a can of worms here. "The three of you are going to help me make breakfast for Mama today." He finally told them as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"But…But…" Michael's brows furrowed incredulously, "Mama always makes breakfast, or the…" He paused, stumbling over the word, "…repcator make it." He stated unequivocally, obviously disturbed by this change to the natural order of things.

"Well today _we're _going to make it." Chakotay explained, not sure whether to laugh or feel exasperated as the three small faces continued to look seriously doubtful.

"But _why_?" Aylen pressed determinedly.

"Because it'll be fun." Chakotay answered lamely before bending down to their level. "You know how I'm going back to work tomorrow, right?" The children all nodded in reply. "That means you're all going to have to help Mama while I'm away, that starts today by doing this for her."

"I already brush Taya's hair." Aylen pointed out, proud of the task her mother had given her, despite the fact that Taya didn't exactly have the thick head of hair she did.

"And I play with her." Michael added in support before indicating Max, "Even Max hugs her."

"I know all that, and it's all good work." Chakotay assured them solemnly, trying his best not to smile. "But Mama is going to need all of you to be _extra _helpful for a while, okay?"

To his surprise, considering the level of explanation they'd needed so far, they all nodded in acquiescence, murmuring "okay" with differing degrees of cheerfulness as they trooped into the kitchen. As he was preparing utensils, Aylen surprised him again by asking out of the blue, "What else makes today special Papa?"

"Oh…I forgot about that for a minute honey." He laughed as he affectionately stroked her hair, "Today is special because your Mama and I got married four years ago today."

"That's a long time." Michael said with perfect seriousness as he clumsily arranged the spoons on the table for his and his siblings' cereal, just as his father had asked him to.

"I suppose it is." Chakotay agreed good-humouredly, four years was longer than the boy had been alive after all, even if it seemed to him to have passed in the blink of an eye. "What do you all think Mama would like us to make for her special breakfast then?" he asked.

"Pancakes!" Max offered with an eager clap of his hands, a suggestion that was immediately taken up by his brother and sister.

"Yeah, like Auntie Rini makes them!" Michael exclaimed in delight, he loved it whenever his great-aunt came to stay.

Ever her mother's daughter, Aylen added with a lick of her lips, "They need strawberries in them!"

Chakotay raised a hand to put a stop to their proclamations. "Okay, we'll give it a try, but I'm not guaranteeing they'll be anything like your Aunt Irene's!"

They weren't, no matter how hard the three little children and their fully grown father tried. Chakotay had, rather naively, assumed that even with his children's well-intentioned attempts to "help" with the cooking, that he'd be able to do the recipe justice. After all, he'd grown up on a planet where replicators were forbidden, and he'd lived as a self-sufficient bachelor for long enough to be quite certain in his culinary abilities, but as he looked down at the whitish, strawberry speckled gloop that sloshed around in the pan without taking on a recognisably pancake shape, all of that certainty drained out of him. The final nail in the coffin of their attempts was when Michael climbed up on a chair to survey the situation and bluntly pronounced, "We need the repcator."

"I think you're on to something there." Chakotay replied as he resignedly emptied the mixture into the waste bin.

* * *

When Chakotay finally trod his way quietly back up to the master bedroom, carrying a tray stacked with steaming, and fully replicated, strawberry pancakes, Seven was sound asleep, curled under the duvet like a cat, with one hand resting protectively on Taya's bassinet. Slowly he sat down on the edge of the bed, placing the tray beside him while he waited for her to stir. His eyes lingered on their eight week old baby, also contentedly sleeping, the few fluffy strands of blonde hair her sister was so proud of brushing blowing ever so slightly in response to her sleeping sighs. Seven maintained that it was unlikely their youngest daughter would remain golden haired, given her father's Native American heritage it would probably darken, but privately Chakotay hoped she would keep that resemblance to her mother as much as her dark eyes reminded him of his own mother. It would be hard on Seven when he went back to work, he knew that, however much she denied it and reminded him it was only part time. If truth be told he hadn't really wanted to go back quite yet, but after taking the leave of absence needed to take his Starfleet post during the war and then paternity leave after that, they were entitled to want him back, especially since it was final exam season for his Anthropology students.

Seven shifted into wakefulness, pushing his thoughts aside as she sat up stiffly, "Chakotay? What are you doing?"

He quickly lowered the tray into her lap before she could protest. "Bringing you breakfast in bed as an anniversary present." He answered warmly, "The kids insisted on pancakes, but the homemade version didn't work out too well, so we had to settle on replicated."

Seven's gaze moved from the tray up to his familiar face then back again. "I…" She started, and then stopped. It had been a long time since she'd been struck speechless by his spontaneous gestures of affection. At one point, early in their relationship, they'd even made her anxious. She'd no idea how to respond in a way adequate to her feelings and had feared he'd be hurt by her awkwardness. Thankfully, he'd always seemed to understand that she hadn't had much opportunity to respond to affection in her previous life. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she thought of all the chaos he must've had to tolerate with three children in the kitchen and smiled, "I believe the human saying goes that "it is the thought that counts"." She assured him softly as she kissed him.

"That's right." He agreed warmly.

"I'll just need to teach them how to make them for you next year." She added as she took her first bite. "You always attend to me on our anniversary, it's yours too…" She trailed off as he met her eye. They both knew the reason why he fussed over her on this day every year, mostly because her birthday was avoided. It wasn't, Seven flattered herself, because she was peculiarly vain about her age, but because of her first birthday on Earth. On that day Chakotay had tried to make her feel special but she'd just felt worse. Finally she'd admitted to him that because her birthday invoked memories of her assimilation, celebrating it unsettled her. Since then, Chakotay had singled out their anniversary as a more appropriate day, and as always she was glad of his understanding.

"I know." He answered simply, "It's _our _day." Seven responded to that by forgetting her breakfast in order to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him until they were both breathless.

**A/n: I don't think there's anything like fluff to remove writers' block, I hope you liked it too, PLEASE REVIEW! :D Hopefully I won't be disrupted again by power cuts, as I was yesterday, and I'll be able finish "Fragments" tomorrow. **


	77. Chapter 77

**A/n: I was going to finish the next chapter of "The Gift" tonight, but the action scenes are proving a bit of a chore, as well as writing Seska, so I decided to update this instead. Enjoy! (And don't worry; "The Gift" will be updated soon!)**

Seven cast one last affectionate smile at her three older children as she closed the nursery door with a soft click, holding her breath for a moment to see if they sensed her departure and woke up. Thankfully, no sounds echoed from behind the door and with a small sigh of relief she shifted Taya's weight to her other hip, the seventeen week old was resolutely awake, and descended down the sun-dappled stairwell before walking into the unusually peaceful living room. "What do you want to do Taya?" she asked the little girl quietly. When her daughter's only response was to gurgle cheerfully into her ear, she smiled even as she glanced guiltily at the stack of PADDs the Observatory had pleadingly asked her to check over, "If you'd just decide to nap at the same time as your brothers and sister, Mama could get some work done…" She continued ruefully, although if she were honest with herself, if she managed to get all four children asleep for an hour or so she'd probably join them. It wasn't as if the data her fellow scientists had sent her as particularly revolutionary, more likely just slightly confusing to someone who didn't have the Borg imbued galaxy wide experience of spacial phenomenon she did. The baby gave a sudden giggle, wriggling in her mother's arms as she stared transfixed at the sunlight catching on the windowpane, projecting a rainbow across the floor. Seven happily placed her on the floor, smiling as the curious little girl made a grab for the tantalising shafts of light while lying on her back on the soft carpet, a frown of deep concentration creasing her tiny brows. Maybe she shouldn't wish her newest arrival into sleep yet, attending the family alone while Chakotay was at work left her very little time to just watch and play with them individually.

She was just settling down on the floor, pulling Taya into her lap along with some well loved toys, when the doorbell rang throughout the house. She cringed momentarily, waiting for the disturbed cries to drift down from upstairs, but nothing reached her finely tuned ears, allowing her to scramble up to answer the door, Taya again her arms. "Admiral?" she gasped out in surprise as she hurriedly opened the door and saw the last person she'd expected to see, Admiral Kathryn Janeway. She was out of uniform, a sight rare enough that Seven didn't immediately recognise her, and was also carrying a small parcel wrapped in bright blue shiny paper.

"Hi Seven, didn't expect me I see?" She greeted with a good natured smile in response to her old protégé's slightly startled expression.

Seven recovered quickly when she belatedly realised this couldn't be a formal visit, with all the stress they generally entailed. "No I didn't, but it's a pleasure to see you Admiral." She replied warmly, "What reason to do have for coming to Arizona? Chakotay won't even be home until this evening…"

"Oh no, don't worry. I just thought I'd drop in. I was here for a meeting and thought I'd bring Max's birthday present…" She held out the parcel somewhat sheepishly, which Seven gratefully took. "I'll be off world when his big second birthday comes around." She explained somewhat hastily, as if she were embarrassed.

"That was very thoughtful of you Admiral." Seven said genuinely, successfully hiding her surprise. The Admiral wasn't a natural with children and because of her illness and the war she wasn't as familiar to the Kotay children as she probably should have been and had a right to be. "I'm sure he'll be pleased. He loves presents, we just got him to understand that Christmas is an annual event, I think we'll probably have to do the same with birthdays."

The Admiral laughed, "Don't we all wish days like that could happen more often though?" Her face darkened for a split-second, her voice tightening. "I certainly do."

Seven nodded in agreement, although she sensed the shift in atmosphere. "Would you like to come in Admiral?" she asked, trying to keep the anxiety from her voice.

"Not if you're busy…" Janeway began, looking askance at Taya cuddled shyly into Seven's shoulder.

"I am far from busy." Seven assured her firmly, "In fact it would just be the three of us. Aylen, Michael and Max are all exhausted from running rampant in the garden; I just put them down for a nap."

The Admiral's smile became more characteristically confident. "Oh well then, if you'd like." Seven stepped obligingly aside to let her in and they both headed towards the kitchen. "I guess the lovely summers out here are great for the kids?" Janeway asked.

"Definitely." Seven confirmed, "Just being outside provides most of their entertainment during the day." She turned to the replicator, "I presume you'd prefer coffee?"

"As strong and black as possible remember." The older woman reminded her teasingly.

"A large, strong, black coffee and a glass of water." Seven ordered, awkwardly moving Taya as she tried to pick up both drinks.

"Here, let me." Janeway offered, awkwardly extending her arms out for the baby.

"Thank you." Seven said quietly, biting back a sigh of relief as Taya nonchalantly accepted the transfer into the near stranger's arms. "Since you appreciate the weather, let's go into the living room, the windows there provide a pleasant view." She suggested as she gathered up the drinks.

"Sure." The Admiral agreed easily.

When they reached the living room, the silence was for a few minutes palpable and uneasy, until the Admiral, still holding Taya, murmured, "She's grown so much since I last saw her, when you brought her back here from the hospital. So pretty too, her colouring is just as striking as Aylen's."

Seven felt pride as well as affection fill her as she smiled lovingly at the baby. "We think so, although Tom keeps saying both girls will be "heartbreakers" one day, an analogy I do not quite understand."

The Admiral laughed as she looked at the contented baby in her lap. "He just means they'll have a lot of male admirers one day, that's all."

Seven smiled wryly in understanding. "No wonder Chakotay looks irritated when that is said then, I think the thought of his girls leaving disturbs him."

"Tell him not to worry; they'll be his girls for a long time yet. I for one was always a daddy's girl, it was part of the reason I joined Starfleet." The Admiral let out a regretful sigh as she said that but just as Seven was about to enquire as to what was wrong, her demeanour suddenly became more businesslike, "Speaking of Starfleet, the designers at Utopia Planetia wanted me to speak to you."

Seven's eyebrows shot up apprehensively, "Concerning what?" she asked, a little more sharply than she'd intended.

The Admiral sighed, having anticipated this reaction. "They want your opinion on some changes they're making to the Astrometrics labs they're deploying across the new fleet, that's all."

Seven shrugged noncommittally, "They already have Harry's permission and my own to use the patent…"

"And they're grateful for that, so they assured me." The Admiral told her hurriedly, "They would just like some input, some assistance from you, that's all. At first, they were going to offer you a post up there but I said you wouldn't take it…"

"You were correct." Seven interrupted as she lifted a now fussing Taya from the Admiral and cuddling her tightly, mumbling darkly into the child's downy hair, "My family has been uprooted enough for…" She bit her lip to stop the words "for Starfleet's sake" leaving her mouth and instead concluded, "…for the time being." She was tempted to add that it smacked of hypocrisy for the Starfleet Engineering Corp. to beg for her help now when they'd utterly refused it when she'd first came to Earth.

"That's absolutely fine." The Admiral said understandingly, "At least with me anyway." She muttered under her breath before changing tact, "Maybe they could just send you the plans and you could tell them where they're going wrong." She suggested with a gently knowing smile at Seven, she knew better than anyone the former drone's uncompromising attitude when it came to perfection.

"That would be acceptable." Seven admitted with a sigh, hoping the Admiral would now drop the subject. "Taya needs changing, do you mind if I do it here? The others will wake up if we go upstairs…"

"Go ahead." The Admiral allowed with a small smile as she watched Seven take the baby's changing gear out of a nearby hold all and begin to set it out with impressive ease and speed. "Very efficient." She joked as Taya was clean and happy again within a couple of minutes.

"I've had a great deal of practice in the last few years." Seven replied as she sat Taya up and kissed her, "It helps when they're cooperative." She glanced up from the baby to see the Admiral watching her with unmistakable guilt in her eyes. "Is there something wrong Admiral?" she queried anxiously.

Janeway sighed heavily, "You know I still have parts of my memory that are very fuzzy right?" She waited until Seven nodded, "Well, I've been having treatment to restore at least some of that, and so I'm…starting to remember how…" She grimaced, "How…unsupportive I was of your and Chakotay's decision to get married and to have children…" She gulped hard, "A few times I was even cruel in what I said to the two of you…"

Seven swallowed, remembering the scathing verbal assault just before Harry's wedding. "It did hurt Admiral, at the time." She conceded reluctantly, "But we didn't know then that you were under an insidious alien influence! I can assure you that Chakotay and I forgave you long ago."

"It wasn't all the Notsinians doing and you know it." The Admiral argued painfully, "I think, deep down, I was jealous."

Seven fought the urge to stiffen. It wasn't that she didn't trust Chakotay's love for her, they'd aired out all of their past relationships long ago, she'd confided about Axum, he about Seska, Riley and the others as well as unfulfilled thoughts of Voyager's Captain, but that didn't mean she wanted to hear of it from the Admiral's side.

"Not really of Chakotay by then…" The Admiral continued with barely a pause, "We were two leaders thrown into a situation and we coped together, but if that hadn't happened I doubt we would've even been friends. It was different with you, he fell hard…" She smiled as Seven's cheeks reddened.

"I did too." She admitted softly.

The Admiral laughed, pointing at Taya. "Obviously!" She sighed again, "I guess I was jealous of the kids too, even though I was never a natural like you, Mark and I were going to try when I got back…" She trailed off, her eyes growing misty.

Seven sighed, "Then, I think, with all of those things considered, your feelings were natural. I suggest you don't worry about them any more." She advised carefully.

The Admiral gave her shoulder a grateful, yet motherly, pat. "I think that's a good idea."

**A/n: I can't say I'm completely happy with this chapter, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me what you think! I just thought it was time to clear the air between them. **


	78. Chapter 78

**A/n: Thanks to Anniexus for finishing "Upbringings" with a lovely pro-C/7 ending. :)**

"I can't wait for this…" B'Elanna gestured irritably down her inescapably swollen stomach, so large now in all the glory of 35 weeks gestation that she could no longer see her lower limbs from above. "…to be over!" She exclaimed as she sat down on one of the deckchairs Tom had helpfully set out so that even in her whale like state she could still enjoy their garden. "My feet are killing me…" She grumbled under her breath as she tried and failed to cross her legs in an effort to rub her protesting feet. Baby Taya Kotay, whom she held securely in one arm, giggled delightedly as B'Elanna's awkward movement caused her to sway slightly back and forth. "See!" B'Elanna laughed, cuddling the little girl affectionately as she turned to Taya's mother, who had just followed them out onto the patio carrying a tray heavily laden with lunch. "I'm so big I could practically bounce Taya here on my bump!"

A wry smirk of amusement at the thought pulled at Seven's lips as she set the food down on the nearby wooden table before deftly taking her youngest daughter into her own arms. "Perhaps." She conceded as she gave her friend's ever growing figure an assessing glance, "Taya would no doubt enjoy the attempt but it is unlikely Tom would approve."

"No, he wouldn't." B'Elanna admitted, "He won't even let me make the beds in case I strain myself…"

Seven arched a questioning brow in her direction. "And making beds is a pleasant experience for you?" she queried teasingly.

B'Elanna chuckled at herself, "No, not exactly!" She leaned back in her chair with a sigh, "I think he's just making up for all of those Engineering shifts I had when I was pregnant with Miral."

"An admirable goal for a husband." Seven reminded her softly as she busied herself setting out plates for the older children before the table was overrun with their ravenous little hands.

"Yeah, I suppose it is." B'Elanna replied, the warmth of love seeping unconsciously into her voice as her gaze found Tom at the bottom of the garden, in his element as he and Chakotay entertained the kids with a paddling pool and hoses. As much, and as loudly, as she complained about his protectiveness, and although her independent spirit frequently chafed under its weight, in truth she loved him dearly for it. It was just another facet of her husband which set him apart from other men in her past, including her father. His selfless, freely given love gave her all the security and comfort she needed to truly love him in return. She put a motherly hand on her bump and caught Seven's knowing look, "Aren't you going to tell me it'll be over soon?" she asked the ex-drone curiously, "That's all I seem to hear from everyone nowadays."

"That would be a futile gesture on my part." Seven answered bluntly without looking up from the fruit she was mashing for Taya, but then worried she sounded cold and met B'Elanna's gaze matter-of-factly. "I cannot predict when this child will come, anymore than you can." She explained before her eyes softened apologetically, "If it makes you feel better I will happily say "it will be over soon"."

B'Elanna's tired smile widened into a friendly grin. "I should've known you'd see it like that." She said warmly, "I wish other people would, I feel like I've got my in-laws on tenterhooks."

Seven returned the smile easily, but her reply was deadpan. "The Captain told you you'd learn to tolerate me."

B'Elanna smirked back at her. "She told that to Chakotay and look where that got him!" she joked.

"Speaking of Chakotay…" Seven muttered as she watched her husband sprint away from four soaked children, and Tom, as they ganged up on him with a water pistol Miral had received for her recent fifth birthday. "It's time for lunch!" she called loudly, indicating the packed table.

Chakotay came to her first as the children ran past him to the table. Food was the only acceptable reason to stop playing in the eyes of four young children after all. "Thanks for saving me." He murmured gratefully in his wife's ear, putting his arms around her to kiss her before he realised he was dripping wet and settled reluctantly for a sweet peck.

Seven wasn't about to let that go and unflinchingly rested her hands on his damp shoulders, pleasingly aware of the see through quality the water had given his summer shirt. "Of course." She whispered seriously before quirking an eyebrow as she added, "It appeared to be quite the onslaught."

"Oh, practically the Hirogen all over again…" Chakotay answered in the same teasing tone as he pulled her against him for a passionate kiss. It barely had a chance to deepen however before being interrupted by a spurt of water from behind. "Michael!" Chakotay spluttered breathlessly as the couple were jerked apart by the cold spray, although he found himself laughing rather than truly chastising as he met his son's mischievous hazel eyes. The three year old just looked so pleased with his aim as he held the water pistol proudly.

Seven had to bite back a small smile herself as she approached her son, although she did share an exasperated but amused glance with Chakotay before addressing Michael firmly, "I don't think water pistols are suitable for lunch are they?"

Michael had the sense to appear contrite. "No Mama." He agreed, reluctantly pressing the water pistol into his mother's waiting hand. "That's Miral's you know." He reminded her.

This time Seven couldn't help but soften. "I know. I'll return it to her, I promise." She hastily wrapped him up in a towel, "Go finish your lunch and don't enter Aunt B'Elanna's house until you're completely dry." She instructed.

Chakotay put his arm around her shoulders as their three elder children agreed to the new rules in chorus. "It was a good idea to visit, wasn't it?" he murmured warmly.

"Yes, it was." Seven answered, resting her head on his broad shoulder with a contented smile. "It certainly is a relief to get out of the house while it's in such a state of disarray…"

"If I remember rightly, you said it would be more efficient to decorate at the same time as extending the house and I didn't argue." Chakotay pointed out.

"Perhaps I should've have sacrificed efficiency for the sake of a relatively peaceful house, or at least a room." Seven muttered to herself, then gave a small laugh and kissed him. "What's done is done." Chakotay hugged her tightly in approval and Seven relaxed again. It had been a difficult week. They'd decided, with Taya quickly approaching weaning, that it was time to move her from their room and thus they needed more room for their growing children. Seven could tolerate all manner of mess from her children with good humour but the disorganisation and grime related to construction had worn her nerves down to a thread. Still, the Californian July sun that shone here, while she was with friends, was lifting her mood significantly.

Chakotay's deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "Tom's arranged a surprise for Miral, to cheer her up in anticipation of her little brother coming. He's asked me to go with him to pick it up after lunch."

"What kind of surprise?" Seven asked curiously.

Chakotay chuckled as he gave a clueless shrug. "When has anyone ever known what Tom's got up his sleeve?"

**A/n: I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter. The next one will be longer, I just felt like writing some fluff. I hope you all liked it, PLEASE REVIEW! :D**


End file.
